Fire kills man; 1 of 4 kids listed as critical near death

Raymond Diggs, 31, died Wednesday of thermal burns and smoke inhalation, and death was imminent for 15-month-old-old Leilani Rembert, who suffered smoke inhalation in Monday’s fire, the Marion County Coroner’s Office said.

The girl was on a ventilator for possible organ donation, the office said.

Indianapolis firefighters performed CPR on the five victims and transported them to hospitals late Monday.

Diggs died Wednesday morning, Battalion Chief Rita Reith said.

The other children, who suffered cardiac arrest, remained in critical but stable condition at Riley Hospital for Children, Reith said.

The fire started on a couch late Monday in an apartment on the city’s far east side and was under control within a minute of firefighters’ arrival, Reith said.

Burning couches can emit dangerous chemicals, and the victims may have been sleeping while the fire burned, she said.

How the fire started was under investigation.

Diggs was the father of Leilani and the 3-year-old girl, WISH-TV reported. The 14-year-old and 12-year-old are boys.