Community Corner

Fourth Person Dies From Injuries in St. Charles Fire

Quentin Gresham, 8, died Thursday morning at 1:30 a.m.

A fourth person has died from a fire in his St. Charles home earlier this week. Quentin Gresham, 8, died at 1:30 a.m. Thursday morning at Cardinal Glennon Hospital according to hospital spokeswoman Ashley Wiehle.

Quentin's father, Cameron Gresham, 27, and sister, Maren Gresham, 2, were pronounced dead on Tuesday at St. Joseph Health Center in St. Charles.

Quentin's mother, Lauren Zwilling, 30, died early Wednesday morning at St. John's Mercy Medical Center, according to media reports. Robert Dominic Zwilling, 11, was upgraded to satisfactory condition on Thursday at St. John's Mercy Medical Center in Creve Couer.

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Flames trapped the family in the split level home on 510 Elmhurst Drive. Capt. Dan Casey, spokesman for the St. Charles Fire Department said the fire likely started on the kitchen counter, possibly a candle or smoking material before going up the stairs. The Missouri State Fire Marshal is expected to release a report on Friday, said Casey.

"The entire living area was gutted," he said. "The bedrooms had heavy heat and smoke damage."

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Quentin Gresham was in third grade at Coverdell Elementary School, while Robert Dominic Zwilling attended Jefferson Intermediate School. District Superintendent Randy Charles said the elementary school students have likely not heard that Quentin died because the news began to spread after school had already started.

"We're not sharing that information with the kids," he said. "We are sending a note home with kids in a sealed envelope informing parents of the loss. We want them to know before the kids learn it elsewhere."

Charles said counselors are available in both schools for students and staff. "It's obviously a difficult time," he said.

Jeffeson Intermediate School is planning to hold a fundraiser to benefit the family tomorrow. Students who make a donation will be allowed to wear a hat during the school day, Charles said.

Coverdell Elementary School hasn't yet planned an event, but that will likely happen next week, he said.

Outside of the family's split level home at 510 Elmhurst Drive, people left stuffed teddy bears, balloons and bouquets of flowers tied around a tall tree Tuesday afternoon. A note slipped in a plastic bag said "our prayers are with you."

In the late afternoon, after school let out, parents and children stopped by to drop off more stuffed animals.

Karen DeGrasso, who lives nearby, walked across the street to check out the memorial Tuesday. DeGrasso said her daughter and her daughter's boyfriend saw the flickering flames in through the window Wednesday night and rushed outside just as fire fighters arrived.

The next day, she said she's still can see the flames in her mind.
"Gosh, I was so upset, I can hardly stand it," she said.

Frank Harrison, who lives next door to the family, said the tragedy hit home for him when he heard that two-year-old Maren Gresham had died. Harrison said his grand daughter is the same age.

"That's when it really got to us," he said.


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