Natalie Renee Martin saved Jenna J. Martin and died after attempting to save Benjamin L. Martin and Carter J. Maki from burning, Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin, January 26, 2016.
At night, siblings Jenna, 9; Benjamin, 10; and Carter, 7, were in bedrooms on the second floor of their family’s two-story house after fire broke out in the basement. Their sister, Natalie, 11, student, discovered the fire and woke Jenna. She led Jenna downstairs, where fire from the basement was starting to enter the kitchen.
Taking Jenna to a side door, Natalie opened the door, allowing Jenna to escape the house, and then she turned back into the structure, despite deteriorating conditions. Jenna fled to a neighbor’s house to alert help.
First responders were initially thwarted by smoke and heat from entering the burning house. In the dense smoke, firefighters then located Natalie, Benjamin, and Carter together in another second-floor bedroom.
All were unresponsive and later died of complications from smoke inhalation: Carter that night, Natalie the next morning, and Benjamin one day later.
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