An early Friday morning fire in Independence, Kansas left a family and a community grieving this week. Johanna Landsaw-Davis and four of her grandchildren, Bane, Case, Ahlaya and Renesmae, died in the fire, which broke out around 6:22 a.m. Five other people were hospitalized, including the children’s mother, Destiny, and their oldest sibling. Three of the hospitalized are children.
A neighbor described walking out of his bedroom to find “a solid wall of red outside the windows in the front.” The Independence fire chief said the tragedy will forever leave an emotional mark on his department. Investigators are still working to determine how the fire started, and a GoFundMe has been set up to help with funeral expenses and hospital bills.
People across the Suncoast know what it means to come together when neighbors are hurting. Along with supporting the family through the fundraiser, this is a good week to test the smoke alarms at home, replace the batteries, and make sure every family member knows two ways out.
Have you checked your smoke alarms this year? Let us know in the comments.
