RIGA 's A fire on the eighth floor of a residential building led to the death of four family members, with the fifth, a 10-year-old boy, in a hospital in critical condition.
Reports indicate that the fire spread quickly throughout the apartment, barring the family's exit. With no other escape, they began jumping from the eighth floor balcony. Four died from the subsequent injuries.
There are conflicting reports whether or not firefighters could have saved the family and if they reacted professionally.
Though the cause of the fire is unknown, the event has sparked an intense debate about the effectiveness of Latvia's firefighter service and fire safety in general.
