An 8-year-old boy was killed and his 5-year-old brother severely burned after a fire at a home in Cleveland County Monday night.
“I can’t concentrate on my baby that’s gone because I have to concentrate on the one that’s still living,” said Laura Moore, the mother of the children who were killed and injured in the fire.
Moore was across the street at a neighbor’s house when the fire started.
The fire broke out before 11:30 p.m. on the 300 block of Lineberger Street, which is off of Suttle Street near E. Marion Street in Shelby. Officials say neighbors called 911 when they saw the flames.
“I’ve never felt a loss like this before in my life. My baby is gone,” said Moore.
Moore’s neighbor, Joseph Hill, ran into the burning house to save the children.
“She said her kids was in there I said well if I can get them I’m going to get them,” said Hill.
He pulled the 5-year-old out of the house but could not save his brother after the ceiling collapsed.
When firefighters got to the scene, they 8-year-old Jaylin Payne and confirmed he was killed in the fire.
The other child, identified as 5-year-old R.J. Moore, was saved be Hill, but had third degree burns on over half of his body. He was rushed to Atrium-Shelby before being taken to the child burn unit at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem.
His mother is with him there. Doctors tell her it will be a long, difficult roller coaster ride to recovery.
RJ is currently in a medically induced coma.
To any parents with their children tonight, Moore said to “hold on” to kids because they can be taken quickly.
A firefighter was also taken to an area hospital for smoke inhalation.
That firefighter has since been released and is expected to be OK. Investigators have not said what may have sparked the fire.
Moore is currently trying to care for her other children, monitor the health of RJ and make funeral arrangements for Jaylin.
She is concerned about being able to afford funeral arrangements. A GoFundMe account has been created to help the family. If you’d like to support them you can find that here.