Neighbors reported hearing the blast around 8:30 p.m. It shook nearby homes.
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Northfield Center Fire Chief Frank Risko said the bodies of a mother and her two daughters, ages 8 and 12, were found on the first floor near the front of the home. He did not identify the victims.
The Ohio State Fire Marshal’s Office is assisting in the investigation.
Northfield Center Township is about 20 miles south of downtown Cleveland.
The couple purchased the 1994 two-story colonial home in 2007, according to Summit County property records.
He said: ‘There was a lot of fire, a lot of debris. “This indicates that Dominion East Ohio facilities – and natural gas – did not contribute to the event at 7486 Skyhaven Drive in Northfield Center”. When firefighters arrived “the house was completely engulfed”. The family dog escaped.
At this time the cause is unknown but fire officials said they don’t believe it was gas related. It was very eerie…. we were yelling and nothing. Chief Risko said, “For a fire to burn that intensely, that quickly and for these people not to have had a chance to get out, that is all part of the puzzle here isn’t it”. It’s hard. This is our first fatality as long as I can remember…
“They just loved each other and they reached out and they loved the people around them wonderful people were just going to miss them so much”, says family friend Ann Humphrey.
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Clark also said that grief counselors would be available to talk to the family’s grieving classmates.
