Second person dies in Howland fire

Staff report

HOWLAND

A second person has died in a Wednesday morning house fire at 7582 Pegotty Drive NE, in the Howland Glen neighborhood off of Raglan Drive.

Richard Noble, 52, died Thursday in Akron Children’s Hospital, where he was taken after suffering smoke inhalation in the fire.

His mother, Naomi J. Smith, 80, was pronounced dead Wednesday morning at ValleyCare Trumbull Memorial Hospital.

Fire officials said the fire was reported about 5 a.m. When they arrived, they found a great deal of smoke and extinguished the blaze and removed Smith from a bedroom and Noble from a hall. The fire was in a fairly small area, Fire Chief James Pantalone said. Smoke detectors were sounding when firefighters arrived. The most-serious injury for both victims appeared to be smoke inhalation, Pantalone said.

The Ohio State Fire Marshal’s Office is continuing to investigate the cause of the fire.