Grandfather, heroic neighbor react to death of boy in Springfield house fire
A 4-year-old boy pulled from a Thursday house fire in northwest Springfield with what officials characterized as burns on 97 percent of his body was pronounced dead early Friday morning.
The boy, whom the fire department identified as Ben Garrison, died at 1:55 a.m.
Mid-Friday morning, the boy's grandfather — who lives at the home in the 2100 block of West Lee Street where the blaze occurred — prepared to begin the cleanup process. The man declined to give his name but said his grandson, whom he identified as Bentley, "was a normal 4-year-old boy."
"He just liked to play with his little toys," the boy's grandfather said, his voice cracking at times.
Firefighters were called to the home about 3:30 p.m. Thursday. Erwin said there were three people inside the home when the fire started: 4-year-old Ben, an 18-month-old boy and their father. The names of the 18-month-old and the father were not released.
Investigators believe the father was sleeping and awoke to the house filling with smoke, and that he rescued the 18-month-old but could not immediately find the 4-year-old. Neighbors Mike Wallace and Theron Teeter, a local rapper who goes by the stage name Too Much, told the News-Leader on Thursday that the father banged on their door, yelling, "Help me, help me. My house is on fire. One of my kids is in there."
Teeter entered the house through the back door and pulled the 4-year-old out.
"I just hope he lives," Teeter said Thursday. "I'm praying for the best for the little boy. That's all I care about."
The father and the two boys were transported to Mercy Springfield hospital. The injuries were less serious for the 18-month-old and the father.
Standing in front of the house Friday, Wallace said he'd heard of the boy's death overnight.
"I just feel like this shouldn't be the end of the story," Wallace said.
Referring to praise he and Teeter received for their actions, Wallance said: "Everybody's saying 'These guys are heroes.' I damn sure don't feel like it."
"We tried to react as fast as possible," Wallace continued. "I guess it wasn't fast enough."
The grandfather said his son, Bentley Garrison's father, had been told the 4-year-old had died but was refusing to accept it, asking for toys to be brought to the hospital so that the boy could play.
"I don't know what's worse, dealing with the little boy that's dead, or fixing my boy," the man said.
In one exchange outside the home Friday morning, Wallace said: "I haven't really slept. I might have slept for an hour. I've never seen something like that."
The man responded: "I hope you never do again."
Fire officials said the preliminary investigation indicates the fire was accidental but the ignition source has not yet been determined, and the investigation is ongoing. One smoke alarm was found in the residence but the battery was placed in the alarm backward, so it did not function, according to the fire department.
A GoFundMe page set up to raise money for the family had raised $755 toward its goal of $5,000 as of 5:50 p.m. Friday.