Friday, December 26, 2014
WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE, Ohio (AP) — A woman and three grandchildren staying with her for Christmas are feared dead inside the remains of a house engulfed by fire, authorities said today.
Fayette County Sheriff Vernon Stanforth said the single-story ranch-style house was destroyed and the site was very hot and unstable some six hours after the blaze was reported just after 4 a.m. He said firefighters were sifting through the smoldering debris to try to locate the four missing people.
"The house is totally destroyed," Stanforth said.
He said family members are being informed of what he called "just a tragic, tragic" fire. He didn't have the ages of the children who were spending Christmas night at their grandmother's house.
"To lose three children and a grandparent, it's devastating to the family," Stanforth told The Associated Press by telephone. "The fact that it's the holidays makes it even worse for the community."
County and local fire departments are at the scene with the state fire marshal's investigators near Washington Court House some 40 miles southwest of Columbus. There was no immediate word on what might have caused the blaze.