Grandmother dies from injuries sustained in fire

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- A Poplar Bluff woman critically injured in a weekend house fire, which claimed the lives of two of her young grandsons, also has died of her injuries.

Erma Pierce, 47, died Thursday in the burn unit at St. John's Mercy Hospital in St. Louis, where she, along with her 46-year-old husband, Daniel, were patients.

Erma suffered smoke inhalation, while her husband also suffered smoke inhalation, as well as burns to his upper extremities.

"We kind of expected [Erma's death] because of the condition she was in at the ER here" at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center, said her brother-in-law, Tom Pierce.

In addition to the smoke inhalation, Tom Pierce said, his sister-in-law, who had been on a ventilator, had other health issues that further complicated the situation.

"She couldn't overcome it," he said. "We were hoping for [an improvement] ... it just didn't work out."

The Pierces had been flown to the St. Louis hospital after their home at 817 N. D St. caught fire early Feb. 1.

The couple's grandsons, 10-year-old Phoenix Brannon and his 8-year-old brother, JayDen Brannon, died in the fire. Autopsies determined the boys died of smoke inhalation.

Firefighters, according to earlier reports, found the home fully involved when they arrived about 5:40 a.m.

They reportedly were able to pull Erma Pierce, who had to be resuscitated with CPR, from the home.

Firefighters believe Erma Pierce was attempting to get JayDen out of the home when she was overcome by smoke. JayDen's body was found "further inside" the back door than his grandmother.

Daniel Pierce was able to get another grandson, Grayson Vass, out of the home and left him at a neighbor's house so he could go back for the other boys and his wife.

Grayson suffered minor injuries.

Meanwhile, Daniel Pierce, his brother said, came off the ventilator Wednesday and underwent skin grafts Thursday morning.

Tom Pierce said the skin grafts were probably on his hands.

"The back of his hands seemed to have the deepest burns," he said.

Pertinent address:

817 N. D St., Poplar Bluff, Mo.