FORT SMITH, Ark. — Fort Smith emergency crews responded to a large structure fire at 5816 Jenny Lind Place in Fort Smith Monday (May 11) morning.
Fort Smith Police Department has confirmed there is a burn victim.
Fort Smith Fire Marshall Teddy Abbey confirmed with 5NEWS that the burn victim, Christian Stanley, had been flown to a Little Rock hospital for treatment. Stanley does appear to have been badly injured in the incident with significant burns.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help pay for Stanley's medical expenses. Another GoFundMe page has been created to help pay for damages to the home.
Abbey said his team is in the early stages of investigating the fire, and they are considering all avenues as to what started the fire. Samples from the fire have been collected and sent to the Arkansas State Crime Lab for analysis. It could take several weeks to reach a final determination.
Foul play is not suspected at this time.
Before fighting the growing fire, the Fort Smith Fire Department had to wait for the police to clear the parameter.
“We were advised that we possibly had an active shooter on scene when we got this call,” said Battalion Chief Stanley Cole.
William Cochran lives on Jenny Lind Place and says moments before the house began to burn, he saw a woman came outside and held a gun in the air.
“And the next thing you know she shot off a gun,” Cochran said.
Investigators say a person at the residence did have what appeared to be a small handgun, but there were no gunshot related injuries.
Cochran says what unfolded on his street was unlike anything he's witnessed before. From watching the sequence of events, he says he thinks the fire was no accident.
“It was just black smoke and flames coming out the window and my neighbor he said he saw her grab a gas can and go in the house and come flying out the window and she was burnt and cut so it’s kinda suspicious to me,” Cochran said.
Cole says the home is a total loss.
