PORTSMOUTH, Va. - A child has died following a Portsmouth apartment fire on Saturday.
"It is hurting the community, and it's heartbreaking to lose little Logan," said London Oaks resident Sonja Williams.
Little Logan, a 4-year-old boy, never made it out of the apartment fire with the rest of his family and siblings Saturday afternoon.
Around 2:22 p.m., firefighters responded to an apartment fire in the 2700 block of High Street.
When firefighters arrived on the scene, heavy fire consumed the first floor of the apartment and was quickly escalating to the second floor, where officials learned a child was trapped.
Firefighters worked tirelessly to search for the boy but say the fire and high heat conditions made them retreat. After the fire was controlled, they continued their search.
That's when they found Logan upstairs.
"One thing the grandmother said yesterday is, 'How do you prepare for this - to bury a 4-year-old?'" said Williams.
The family released a statement Monday, stating, "Logan was full of life, a loving kid who loved to dance sing and rap."
"This brought everyone closer. The outpouring support last night at the vigil showed it all," said Williams.
A memorial continues to blossom outside the fire-ravaged home, one filled with Paw Patrol stuffed animals, dinosaurs, candles and condolences.
"I am a mother and a grandmother, and all tragedies in our community are important to us. Some tragedies hit differently," said community member Onyx Hill. "My grandson is 3 years old, and I just thought about that weight, and I didn't sleep for two nights because I just couldn't imagine."
Hill and Darrell Redmond both grew up in this neighborhood and are part of Give Back to Da Block. They've started a GoFundMe to help Logan's family through these unimaginable times.
"Right now they are grieving, so we are doing anything we can to help them regards to what they are going through," said Redmond.
The fire was brought under control in 25 minutes, officials say. The apartment unit sustained heavy fire and smoke damage on both floors. Smoke alarms were present in the home, but officials say it is unknown if the alarms alerted the occupants.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
To donate to the families GoFundMe, click here.
