Update: 2nd Child Dies From Injuries In Apartment Fire

El Paso Fire Dept. officials says a second child has died as the result of injuries suffered in an apartment fire on Sunday.

Gibran Evera Sifuentes, 5, died Sunday. Fire Dept. officials annouced Monday morning that his 9-year-old brother Gerardo Daniel Sifuentes died from his injuries. Both children attended Scotsdale Elementary. Counselors are on hand to help the students and the staff cope with the grief process.

The boys’ father, Gilbert Sifuentes, suffered burns and was flown to the burn center in Lubbock where he is in very critical condition, according to Fire Dept. officials.

The fire, which broke out shortly after 2 a.m. Sunday, trapped the four inside the Krupp Apartments on the 10000 block of Hedgerow Court.

The fire started in the two-story apartment unit’s upstairs bedroom. According to investigators, the man inside made it out okay, but he kept running inside to try and save his three sons.

When fire crews arrived, they found all four inside passed out from the smoke.

Neighbors said they tried to do everything they could to help, including grabbing their own water hoses.

“You couldn’t get the water in there. All the flames were pushing the glass. We didn’t wanna get hurt either. But we heard him yelling for his kids,” one of the neighbors, Betty Telles, said.

Fire crews are continuing to investigate the cause of the fire, and they did say the smoke detectors inside the unit were working. A bank account is being set up to help the family.

Five people have lost their lives in residential fires this year.