Trump expresses sympathy for family of children killed in Baltimore fire

Jan. 27--In a phone call to U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings, President Donald J. Trump expressed his sympathy for Cummings' assistant who lost six of her nine children in a deadly fire earlier this month, the Baltimore Democrat said.

Trump called about the possibility of working together on the issue of high prescription drug costs, but Cummings said one of the first things Trump asked about was Katie Malone.

"I explained that she was doing as well as she could under the circumstances and I explained to him that the toughest part, the next toughest part, is to make arrangements for the funeral," Cummings told reporters Thursday. "He said that he really wanted to make some type of contribution to help her out."

Vice President Mike Pence and other members of Congress have also called to express condolences, Cummings said.

Earlier this week Malone said she was released from the hospital where she had been since the tragic Jan. 12 fire at the family's home in the 4200 block of Springwood Avenue, Northeast Baltimore. Three of the children were previously released from the hospital. Malone's husband, Bill Malone, was not at home at the time of the fire.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

nsherman@baltsun.com

___

(c)2017 The Baltimore Sun

Visit The Baltimore Sun at www.baltimoresun.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.