North Hero community members are grappling with the loss of two young boys who died in a house fire Saturday night, caused by a problem with a dryer vent, police confirmed.
The boys have been identified as Theodore Maltais, 5 years old, and Nathaniel Maltais, 11½ months old. The parents, Desiree and Mason Maltais, both age 30, were unable to reach their sons before they were able to escape the flames, police said.
Since the incident, counseling services have been provided to community members at the North Hero Elementary School and more than $83,000 has been raised for the family from more than 900 donors through a GoFundMe campaign, which contains more than 200 messages of condolence and support.
Police ruled the fire accidental. It likely started by an issue with the electric dryer and vent, which was in use an hour before the fire started, according to a press release from police. The house was equipped with smoke detectors, police said, which were audible when first responders arrived.
The 911 call was received shortly after 1 a.m.
Linda Norris, a neighbor who lives a few houses down from the Maltais family, said she saw flames shooting high up into the air from the Maltais home on Bridge Road. Norris said she did not know the Maltais family well, but that the neighborhood is grieving for their loss.
“It’s terrible what happened to their children,” Norris said.
The North Hero Elementary School invited community members to meet with counselors on Sunday to help process the news and give parents guidance about how to explain the death of Theodore and Nathaniel to their children.
Michael Clark, superintendent of the Grand Isle Supervisory Union, said because the North Hero Elementary School serves children from kindergarten through sixth grade, explaining the news can be difficult because its students are in a range of developmental stages.
Clark said it’s best for adults to be honest and direct with their children about the news, and to avoid euphemisms than can confuse young children who can take delicate comparisons literally. He said his teachers are working hard to continue with their typical routines, which can help their students feel more grounded.
“Young children struggle to understand what forever means,” Clark said. “These are concepts that are challenging.”
North Hero is a small community, Clark said. Many knew the Maltais family, especially those within the school district, because Mason serves on multiple school boards in the Grand Isle Supervisory Union. WCAX reported that Mason is a North Hero firefighter and Desiree is a first responder and works at the North Hero House.
“They’re a great, caring, loving family,” Clark said. “This is devastating.”