11-year-old Canton girl previously injured in house fire dies in Akron hospital

CANTON ‒ An 11-year-old girl injured in a house fire last week has died.

The Summit County Medical Examiner's Office confirmed the girl, identified as Harmony Fowler, died Saturday at Akron Children's Hospital.

"The child never regained consciousness and was removed from life support on Saturday July 21, 2024," according to a statement Sunday from the Fire Department. "She passed away with her family at her side."

Amy Schaefer, an investigator with the medical examiner's office, said the cause of death will be known later this week. A full autopsy will not be completed because she died in the hospital, she said.

Canton firefighters were called to a home at 929 Third St. NW around 7:47 p.m. July 12. Everyone had escaped the burning home but the girl.

When firefighters arrived there was heavy smoke coming from the second-floor windows. Officials said the girl's 15-year-old brother smelled smoke, tried to go upstairs but it was too hot and he exited the building.

Bystanders told firefighters where they believed they could find the girl on the second floor of the home. Firefighters tried to reach the girl through a stairwell "but were forced out by high heat," according to the Canton Fire Department's initial news release. They then used a ladder to enter a second-story window and found the girl in a bathroom.

The girl was taken to Aultman Hospital and then Akron Children's, which operates the Adult and Pediatric Burn Institute where she was in critical condition.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation but appeared to be accidental, fire officials said.

Reach Amy at 330-775-1135 or amy.knapp@indeonline.com.

This article originally appeared on The Independent: 11-year-old Canton girl previously injured in house fire dies in Akron hospital