Indianapolis, Indiana – The Indianapolis Fire Department has reported that a 3-year-old child who was saved from an east-side apartment fire in early January passed away from her wounds on Thursday morning.
Leilani Rembert, 1-year-old, and Raymond Diggs, 31, also perished as a result of their injuries in the fire on January 9 in the 2800 block of Elwin Drive. The Briergate Apartments are located there, about southeast of 30th Street and Post Road.
Just after 10 o’clock at night, firefighters arrived at the residence and discovered Diggs and Rembert unresponsive next to a smoldering couch. Two boys and a 3-year-old girl were also extricated from the residence. Each of the five patients was transported to the hospital in a critical state.
Diggs passed away on January 11 from thermal burns and smoke inhalation, while Rembert passed away on January 12 also from smoke inhalation.
The name of the girl was not released by the Marion County Coroner’s Office.
Smoke detectors were operational in the building’s main hallway. Fire investigators discovered a base inside the apartment where a smoke alarm was supposed to be installed, but no smoke alarm was actually attached, according to IFD after the fire.
“Apartment management told IFD investigators they had been in the unit 2 weeks prior and the unit had a working smoke alarm. It is unclear why the smoke alarm was removed,” the department said in a press release.
