Man dies in fire failing to save girlfriend, daughter

A 3-year-old girl, her mother and a boyfriend who tried to save them died late last night as a fast-moving house fire swept through a Chester city house.

Firefighters arrived on the 2300 block of West Third Street about 11 p.m. and found flames raging on the first floor of the home. As smoke billowed through broken windows, rescuers searched for a couple believed trapped inside.

They found a 23-year-old woman and a 29-year-old man dead on the first floor, police said.

On the second floor, firefighters discovered the child, Anaija Bailey, and rushed her to Crozier Chester Medical Center. It was too late. The toddler was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital, police said.

"That's three innocent lives perished, gone," said longtime friend Lorraine Wilson, 53, who identified the woman as Shanae Bailey, the girl's mother.

The male victim, Eddie Lane, who also lived there, died trying to save his girlfriend and the child, according to Roy Lane, 53, who said he was Eddie's cousin.

Eddie was in a bar when he heard about the fire, said Roy Lane of Chester, who was at the fire scene this morning. "He ran three blocks down to save them."

"He was a street person," Roy Lane said of his cousin. "He hustled on the street to tell you the truth, but he wasn't a bad person."

The mother was a nurse's aide, and the girl was "happy as I don't know what," he said.

The house was newly renovated, and the mother and daughter had lived there just 7-1/2 months, he said.

A candle-and-teddy-bear memorial was beginning to grow in front of the house.

Several law enforcement organizations are probing the cause of the blaze. Autopsies of the three victims are planned for later today.

Investigators believe the fire began in the living room on the first floor, police said. Firefighters said there were no working smoke detectors in the house.

Anyone with information is asked to call Det. Todd Nuttal of the Chester police at 610-447-8426.