Six dead after Newcomerstown house destroyed by fire
NEWCOMERSTOWN ‒ Fire swept through a home on Spaulding Avenue early Monday.
Hours later, investigators confirmed their grim findings as six bodies were recovered from the scene.
The number of victims was confirmed Monday afternoon by Todd Stanley, Tuscarawas County Coroner's Office investigator. He said the names would be released later pending confirmation of identification. Autopsies were to be done in Cuyahoga County.
Firefighters were called to the home at 429 Spaulding around 1:30 a.m. Neighbors said a couple and four children lived there.
Additional details could not be confirmed by village fire officials, who referred all questions to investigators with the state Fire Marshal's Office. A spokesman for the office could not be reached for comment on Monday.
Neighbor Rhonda Shaffer said she saw the flames around 1:45 a.m. as she left to take a relative to the airport. She often saw the family's children riding their bikes in the neighborhood.
"It's devastating if they all died," she said. "Sweet little kids."
Another neighbor David Schwab awoke to find emergency crews in the street.
"It was pretty well engulfed when the fire department got here," he said.
The two-story house later collapsed, he said.
Emergency crews worked to clear debris. Crews had knocked down most of the charred house by early afternoon Monday.
According to Mayor Pat Cadle, fire crews from Newcomerstown, Stone Creek, Gnadenhutten, West Lafayette, and the Delaware and Three Rivers Fire Districts were called. Assistance with equipment was provided by Bill Albert’s of Coshocton and Lafferty Services of Newcomerstown. The village has about 3,700 residents.
"We would like to thank all those fire companies, police, and equipment companies for their help with this tragic fire. Even with the intense cold temperatures they stayed throughout the night and morning.Our community is saddened with this tragedy and loss of life," Cadle said in a statement.
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Six dead in Newcomerstown house fire on Spaulding Avenue
