State fire marshal: No evidence charcoal grill lit before fatal Warren fire

WARREN — The Ohio State Fire Marshal’s Office says it has found no evidence to support a conclusion that a charcoal grill had been lit a short time before the start of the June 16 fatal house fire on Landsdowne Avenue Northwest.

The office said it had found no physical evidence and gained no information during “extensive interviews with witnesses, family members and friends that supports the grill was lit at, or around, 3 a.m.”

Fire Chief Ken Nussle said last week that information had been obtained from a relative of Derek Dorsey, 30, that he had been dropped off at his home at about 3 a.m. Nussle said he suspected the grill had been used sometime after that.

The fire, reported to 911 at 4:43 a.m., killed Derek Dorsey, his fiance, Audrea Johnson, 31; their two children, Derek Dorsey Jr., 10, and Ariell Dorsey, 9; Derek Sr.’s niece, Miracle Hugley, 9; and Audrea’s niece, Ja’Niece Hicks, 13, of Columbus.

The state office believes the fire was caused by the grill, but it was most likely last used during a family cookout the day before the fire. Charcoal briquettes can retain enough heat to ignite a fire for 12 to 26 hours, the statement said.