‘Our hearts are broken’: Father of 12-year-old girl killed in Middleboro house fire speaks out

MIDDLEBORO, Mass. — The father of 12-year-old Jasmine Lane who lost her life in a Middleboro house fire over the weekend says his family’s world is shattered.

“She had so much potential and for this to happen, our hearts are broken into a million pieces,” Jim Lane, father of Jasmine Lane, told reporters Monday evening after arriving back in Mass.

The grandparents were watching the children while Lane and his wife left for a Caribbean cruise Friday morning, only 14 hours before the fire took their little girl.

Firefighters were called to a home on Pearl Street around 2 a.m. Saturday for reports of a fire with people trapped inside. Upon arrival, the blaze has already consumed the first and second floors. Crews attempted to rescue Jasmine, but they could not get inside due to the heavy fire conditions. Once the flames were extinguished, the girl was found dead inside the home.

“We lost my 12-year-old daughter who was more than everything,” he said while struggling to hold back tears.

Three other family members, a 61-year-old woman, a 59-year-old man, and another young girl, were taken to the hospital. The woman suffered serious burns, while the man and other girl suffered less severe injuries.

“I can’t tell you what happened. I don’t know what happened. What I can tell you is that my mother is in critical condition,” Lane said.

Lane and his wife got the call while at sea and were not able to get back to land easily.

“We got a call the next morning but we could not get off the boat until Miami. I flew right back here today,” he said.

He and his family surveyed the damage at the house Monday and shared with the media Jasmine’s hope to be a babysitter and her love of cheerleading.

“She was the smartest, loving, charismatic person. She loved her family and friends and loved her sisters,” said Lane.

The young girl was a student at Nichols Middle School in Middleboro.

“This unforeseen event has left us all shocked and saddened,” said Middleboro Superintendent Carolyn Lyons in a statement. “This profound loss impacts not just our Nichols Middle School community but also the Burkland Elementary School and Middleborough High School communities where family members attend. We extend our deepest condolences to our student’s family and friends as they navigate this extremely tough time,” she added.

Grief counselors were available at the middle school on Monday.

Lane also had a message to the neighbors, friends, and classmates of Jasmine who have reached out or come by to leave flowers and teddy bears at the site of the fire.

Lane says it means the world to his family now mourning an unimaginable loss.

“The community has come together in a manner that I can’t even express my gratitude for,” he said.

The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Middleborough Fire Department, the Middleborough Police Department, the State Police Fire and Explosion Investigation Unit attached to the State Fire Marshal’s Office, and Massachusetts State Police assigned to the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office.

Preliminarily, it appears no foul play is suspected.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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