BARROW COUNTY, Ga. — Family members have identified an 8-year-old girl killed in a house fire in Barrow County.
Kairi Vongtonthip Thao was killed early Friday morning when a fire tore through her family’s home on Matthew School Road.
The child’s grandfather, Nhia Chue Thao, is in critical condition.
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One other adult is also in the hospital. That person’s name and condition have not been released.
Friends of the family have now set up a GoFundMe to help pay for the child’s funeral expenses, her grandfather’s medical bills and to help them recover from the fire.
“Kairi was really loving, caring, thoughtful, friendly and was very sweet,” her mother said on the GoFundMe page. “She was the kindest, smartest, most beautiful little girl I’ve ever known. A lot of people that knew her would say the same thing. She lit up the room everywhere she went and always knew how to make everyone laugh and smile.”
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Channel 2′s Audrey Washington was in Barrow County Friday, where she talked to neighbors who said the home was consumed by fire so quickly it was nearly impossible to reach the child.
Jasmin Ferhatovic said both he and his wife rushed next door, only to find flames and smoke wrapped around the home.
“The whole side of the house was all engulfed,” Ferhatovic said.
The child attended Kennedy Elementary. The school released a statement Friday, writing, in part:
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“…Our thoughts are focused on this family and their loved ones. We are grateful to our emergency teams who responded to help this family and our counselors and social workers who spent the day at the school to offer support for staff and students. We are holding all who are mourning in our hearts and prayers.”
Fire investigators are working to determine how the fire started.
You can donate to the family’s GoFundMe HERE.
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