17-year-old Marselino Graves watched from the yard as fire investigators and the coroner removed the body of his 4-year-old niece from an Athens duplex Friday night.

It was just 38 days before Christmas.

The fire in the frame duplex at 424-A Elkton Street started when a light fixture in the living room shorted out, Marselino, a Guatemalan native, said through an interpreter.

Officials had not yet released the name of the girl, who is also Guatemalan. She apparently died of smoke inhalation, Marselino said. Her body was taken to the Huntsville Forensics Lab for an autopsy, said Limestone County Coroner Mike West.

Marselino escaped minor injuries along with the girl’s mother, Juana Graves, 22, and her 3-year-old and 9-month-old children, whose names were not available.

The mother and the 3-year-old were taken to Athens-Limestone Hospital for treatment of possible smoke inhalation. The 9-month-old was taken to a home about three miles away at 1001 N. Jefferson St. after being handed out a window of the home during the fire, West said.

Marselino declined to be taken to the hospital.

His nose and mouth still covered with soot, Marselino watched from the yard as investigators removed the body and studied the scene for clues to the fire. Many friends or family members stood by him, one woman hugged him.

Athens firefighters were called to the scene by Marselino at 5:26 p.m. They quickly contained the fire to the living room. They were still on the scene at 8:30 p.m. while the fire investigation was under way.