The Kenosha community is grieving an unimaginable tragedy after three young siblings lost their lives in a devastating apartment fire on Thanksgiving night. Authorities confirmed that the victims — 10-year-old rylee kannin, 9-year-old connor kannin, and 7-year-old alena kannin — were unable to escape the flames that tore through their home late Thursday evening.
Fire crews rushed to the apartment building on 43rd Avenue, just south of 52nd Street, around 10:30 p.m. after receiving reports of a fire. According to Battalion Chief todd leipzig of the kenosha fire department, firefighters arrived to find the family’s unit fully engulfed in flames and filled with heavy smoke. Despite their rapid response, the intensity of the fire left little time for rescue.
All three children were inside the apartment with their father when the fire broke out. He was able to escape but suffered smoke inhalation and was taken to a local hospital for treatment. Seven-year-old alena was airlifted by flight for life in critical condition, but officials announced shortly before 12:30 p.m. Friday that she had passed away, joining her siblings in what has become one of the city’s most heartbreaking losses in recent years.
Firefighters were able to contain the blaze to the single apartment unit, bringing it under control within about 35 minutes. While the kannin family’s home was destroyed, no other units sustained major damage, and no additional injuries were reported. The apartment is now considered uninhabitable.
Officials say it remains unclear whether smoke alarms were working at the time of the fire — a key question that is part of the ongoing investigation. Both the kenosha fire department and kenosha police department are working together to determine the cause of the blaze, a process that could take weeks.
The shocking loss of three young lives has shaken the community, especially on a night meant for family and togetherness. Neighbors, friends, and local residents are mourning deeply, expressing sorrow for a tragedy that no family should ever have to endure. As investigators search for answers, the people of kenosha are coming together to support the kannin family and honor the memory of rylee, connor, and alena — three children whose lives ended far too soon.
