Smoke detector examined in Jacksonville family deaths

JACKSONVILLE, AR - Jacksonville Police say detectives are now looking at the smoke detectors in a fire that killed a family of five last week. Family members of the victims tell FOX16 they believe more should have been done.

Furlandare Singleton and his family are preparing for five funerals later this week, funerals they believe didn't have to happen but are waiting on the investigation to tell them more.

A few stuffed animals on the porch and a flower mark a simple memorial for the five lives lost.

He lost four children, DeQuan, 10, Sydni, 9, Haylee, 6, Emily, 4, and their mother Thursday morning. The Pulaski County coroner says the family died of smoke inhalation.

But the children's cousin Brandon Jones says there's more to it.

"We need to find out, so this will never happen to another family again," Jones says. "We need attention and awareness brought on safety in government housing buildings, proper smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors."

Fire investigators were back out at the duplex on Monday taking photos.

The Jacksonville Housing Authority says the photos are for insurance purposes but won't comment on the condition of smoke detectors at the time of the fire.

Officer April Kiser with the Jacksonville Police Department says it is still working on its investigation.

"The police department does have the smoke detectors and they will be looked at,” Kiser says. I can't give you any other information other than that is part of the investigation."

At Dupree Elementary in Jacksonville students returned from spring break Monday dealing with the loss of three classmates.

PCSSD partnered with outside crisis counselors on campus this week helping students through a difficult time.

Principal Janice Walker tells FOX16 the school will hold a remembrance memorial for the three children who attended there on Friday at 1:30pm. The memorial will include a reading and a balloon release by classmates of the three students.

Funeral services will be Saturday at 11am at St. Luke Baptist Church in North Little Rock.