Overnight Fire Claimes Lives in West Champaign

A devastating house fire destroys a Champaign family and their home early this morning. Firefighters say three 9-1-1 calls came in shortly before midnight about a neighbor’s home being engulfed in flames. Dena Schumacher, Champaign Fire Department says this wasn’t a normal fire. She adds, “Firefighters quickly got to that scene and when they got there they found a house nearly fully engulfed in flames which is a bit unusual in Champaign.” She says when they arrived, a man and two children were inside the burning home. Later, five-year-old Devin Taylor, his stepfather Tom Keeton and daughter Kaelin died.  No word on her mother’s condition. Neighbors say news of the loss is especially devastating. Friend Leslie Wade says she thinks the world of the family. She says, “ He was a great kid he's so sweet and adorable and fun and Kaelin if my daughter grows up to be like Kaelin ill feel blessed. Wade adds, she took some time to talk to her kids about what happened. “We just told them about the fire and told them that Devin's an angel and we asked them what they felt about it and they said they wanted to make them cards and take flowers over to their house and set them on the porch.”