A toddler has died and his parents were hospitalized after a fire in northwest Indiana on Monday.
According to authorities, the blaze broke out at a home in the 900 block of Cornwallis Lane in Munster on Monday morning.
Officials say a 3-year-old boy has died after the blaze, with witnesses reporting that his father tried unsuccessfully to save him.
“I saw him bolting out of the garage and he fell on the driveway right in front of me. He was covered in ash," Robert Wojtowich told NBC Chicago.
Both of the boy’s parents were hospitalized for smoke inhalation.
Neighbor Kim Mullens said that the young boy, whom neighbors called "Mackie," was a ray of sunshine in their lives.
“He was very special. He was such an adorable little boy," she said. "He called me Gammy!”
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Mullens' townhome was connected to that of the victims in the fire, and she too witnessed the boy's father trying to save his son.
“I got goosebumps and my hair is standing up. I’m kind of numb," she said.
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Mullens says her pets were saved by firefighters, and while her residence sustained heavy damage, she knows that another family is now left devastated by grief.
“When I heard about Mackie, my problems are nothing compared to theirs. Nothing," she said. "God, my heart goes out to them."
The identity of the child has not yet been released, and an investigation remains underway.
