Community has rallied around family following Decatur house fire

DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) — The community has rallied around a Decatur family following a house fire.

The fire happened on East Vanderhoof Street, right across from Eisenhower High School. Crews responded to the scene, where heavy fire conditions were reported, and multiple people were inside the home at the time.

Decatur Firefighters pulled two people, including the 3-year-old, from the burning home

Early West told WAND News that the 3-year-old died at the hospital Friday night. The child, along with a 73-year-old man, was pulled from a house fire on Tuesday.

According to the family, the man is still in the hospital.

Family members Early West and Michael West told WAND News the days following the fire have been filled with emotion as they try to process what happened.

"Considering the circumstances, we're doing the best we can," Early West said. "It's a very tragic situation, trying to navigate through everything."

The family says the incident has taken a toll, but they are leaning on faith and community support to get through it.

"One of the things we want the community to know is… we want to thank everybody for all the support, the donations, the text messages, the calls, the concerns," Early West said. "We believe it takes a village."

The family also expressed gratitude for first responders, crediting firefighters and emergency crews for their efforts during the rescue.

They added that the support has gone beyond financial help, emphasizing that even small gestures have made a difference.

"As small as a hug, as small as a prayer… just somebody's presence to let you know that we're not alone," Michael West said.

As the family focuses on healing, they are also working to rebuild after losing nearly everything in the fire. They say donations are helping replace necessities. West has launched a GoFundMe to help support his family.