Concord IDs the 3 youths who died in a fire in city-owned home. Vigil set for victims
Concord leaders will host a vigil Friday for the three youths who died after a home owned and maintained by the city caught fire over the weekend, a city spokeswoman announced Tuesday afternoon.
The flames began early Sunday while two girls — Daniella Kueviakoe, 16, and Emmanuelle Kueviakoe, 11 — and their 15-year-old brother Stephen Kueviakoe, were home alone, Lindsay Manson stated in a news release.
With 3 youths dead in fire, NC public housing residents ask: Where were the alarms?
Concord and the Logan community will host a prayer vigil in the city’s Housing Department’s courtyard at 283 Harold Goodman Circle SW. on Friday, Aug. 25, at 5:30 p.m.
Meanwhile, Concord has partnered with Grace Lutheran Church in Concord to serve as the community-wide contact for donations. People wishing to offer support for the families may contact the Rev. Donald Anthony at 704-701-7167.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
NC neighbors concerned in wake of fatal fire
Neighbors are still left with questions about Chapman Homes’ safety. Fire trucks, not fire alarms, woke them up Sunday just after 1 a.m.
The 174 units are owned and maintained by Concord under the Fair Housing Act, and inspections determine if they qualify for renewed benefits from the government.
“Public housing authorities must perform housekeeping inspections at least annually or more frequently,” a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development spokesperson said.
The complex barely passed its 2016 REAC inspection with a 60 out of 100 score. That’s 22.4 points worse than the average for North Carolina, according to ProPublica’s 2019 “HUD House of Cards” project.
Concord Housing Department employees declined to talk to The Charlotte Observer Monday afternoon, but Manson said the property’s smoke detectors worked the last time they were tested in January.
Deadly home fires in NC
Forty-four youths 16 years old and younger have died in house fires in North Carolina since 2016, state data show.
The youngest victims were 9 months old, according to data from the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services. Two were 16 years old.
The data does not include the deaths of the three youths from Concord who died Sunday.
Guilford County led all counties with five deaths, followed by Mecklenburg with four.
Database editor Gavin Off contributed
