WUSA9
Reprinted with Permission

HYATTSVILLE, Md. (WUSA) - A 13-year-old Hyattsville girl remains in the Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber in Baltimore after Wednesday's house fire that claimed the life of her sister. Two others are also in the hospital and are expected to recover.


Nine-year-old Kimberly Hernandez has lost her life and her sisters were badly injured after a fire ripped through their Hyattsville home early Wednesday morning, Prince George's County firefighters said.

Mark Brady, spokesman for Prince George's County Fire and EMS, said crews arrived at the home on the 4700 block of 40th Avenue just before 4 a.m. Wednesday, about 4 minutes after receiving the 911 calls.

Tapes of the 911 calls were released Thursday. In one tape, a neighbor tried to tell a 911 dispatcher more about the scene while screaming could be heard in the background.

The father later told firefighters he heard the smoke alarm, but it was the heavy smoke that woke him. Five people managed to get out of the house safely including three adults, a four-year-old girl, and a thirteen-year-old girl.

However, the 13-year-old's twin sister was trapped inside her second floor bedroom. She suffered burns to 20% of her body and is getting treated for severe smoke inhalation at the Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber in Baltimore.

Nine-year-old Kimberly Hernandez was found in the dining room close to where the fire started. She died at the hospital.

Firefighters said both girls were unconscious and had no pulse when they were pulled out of the burning home.

One firefighter was also taken to the hospital with burns to his feet. Another slipped on ice on top of the roof and dislocated a shoulder. Both were treated and released Wednesday.

The fire has been deemed accidental, but Thursday, investigators still do not have a cause for the fire. The home did have a hard wired smoke alarm, but firefighters said it should have had a battery back up in case of a malfunction.

A relief effort is being coordinated through the Hyattsville Community Development Corporation. Donations can be directed to the "Zelaya Family Relief Fund" care of Hyattsville Community Development Corporation, 5004 42nd Ave, Hyattsville, MD 20781. Donations are tax deductible. You can find more information at the group's website: www.hycdc.org

The group is working with others in the community to try to arrange temporary housing for the family.

Written by Delia Goncalves and Ken Molestina
9NEWS NOW & WUSA9.COM