Couple seriously injured after trying to save grandsons who died in fire

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- A Poplar Bluff couple were hospitalized in St. Louis after an early morning house fire Sunday critically injured them and killed two of their grandchildren.

Daniel Pierce, 46, and his 47-year-old wife, Erma, were in the burn unit at St. John's Mercy Hospital at press time.

Both suffered life-threatening injuries when their home at 817 N. D St. caught fire, said Capt. Toby Tuggle.

Daniel Pierce, Tuggle said, suffered smoke inhalation and burns to his upper extremities and head, while his wife suffered smoke inhalation and burns to her head.

"They drug [Erma Pierce] out and did CPR and brought her back," Tuggle said. "She made it close to the back door."

The grandparents were taken to a local hospital and then reportedly flown to the St. Louis hospital for further treatment. Erma Pierce reportedly is in critical condition.

The couple's 10-year-old grandson, Phoenix Brannon, and 8-year-old grandson, Jayden Brannon, died in the fire, Tuggle said.

Butler County Coroner Jim Akers said autopsies on the boys were to be performed Monday to rule out foul play.

Phoenix, he said, was found in the middle part of the house close to a bathroom, while Jayden was found near the back door.

Tuggle said Jayden was found farther inside the back door than where firefighters had found his grandmother.

Firefighters believed Erma Pierce was trying to get her grandson out of the home.

Daniel Pierce was able to rescue their 3-year-old grandson, Grayson Vass, who suffered minor injuries, said Tuggle, who described the toddler as having singed hair.

Tuggle said Daniel Pierce took the toddler to the home of a relative who lives across the street.

"[The relative] said he came in the house with the baby," Tuggle said. "She said he was calming down, as if gathering his thoughts, then all of a sudden he flew out the door.

"They were hollering, trying to get him not to go back in there," Tuggle said.

Firefighters believe Daniel Pierce was injured when he re-entered his home to try to rescue his other grandsons, Tuggle said.

When firefighters arrived, Tuggle said, the man tried to tell them where his grandsons would be in the home.

"It took us a long time to find them," Tuggle said. "Because of all the debris, it was quite difficult finding them."

Poplar Bluff firefighters, Tuggle said, had been called to the Pierce home at 5:37 a.m.

Two 911 calls were received reporting the fire, said Tuggle, who described the first as being a frantic woman, who didn't give any information.

"Another dispatcher took another 911 call and thankfully was able to get some information," Tuggle said.

When the first firefighters arrived, Tuggle said, they found flames mainly in the front portion of the home.

"[The call] came in as fully involved," Tuggle said. "Most of the fire was concentrated to the front."

The fire was "still burning pretty good" when battalion chief Mike Moffitt arrived on the scene at about 6 a.m. The fire was mostly out by about 7:30 a.m., he said.

Firefighters were told there was ammunition and gun powder in the house, chief Ralph Stucker said.

"We had ammunition going off," said Stucker, who indicated numerous explosions also occurred, causing "several pretty big booms" and "igniting fireballs."

When firefighters dug through the rubble, Stucker said, they found several propane bottles had ruptured through the house.

Tuggle said there was no indication the home had working smoke detectors.

The cause of the fire, Moffitt said, is unknown at this time.