Fire investigators and the coroner’s office are working at the scene at the two-story house this morning.
Updated at 11:07 a.m.
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CENTRALIA – Investigators with three agencies are examining the scene of a fatal Centralia house fire this morning in which three children perished.
“My wife noticed lights flashing in the driveway about 1 o’clock this morning,” neighbor Jay Pannette said. “She said it’s my son’s friend’s house; she came back and said ‘Oh my God, the kids aren’t out yet’.”
Firefighters and police responded to the 12:46 a.m. call to the two-story home on the 900 block of Ham Hill Road at the north end of town.
Police said the mother made it out, but the juveniles did not.
One police officer was injured when he attempted to get inside, breaking a window, detective Patricia Finch said. He was taken to the hospital, she said.
This morning, command vehicles crowded the narrow street and next door neighbors sat on their front porch with a chaplain.
Most of the windows observable from the street are missing, one side of the roof partially collapsed. Some rabbits huddled in hutches near the driveway.
Finch said they know the fire started within about four feet of the front door, just inside.
The family rents the home, she said. The children’s father doesn’t reside with them, she said.
The joint fire investigation team is comprised of members of Riverside Fire Authority, the Centralia Police Department and the Chehalis Fire Department.
The Centralia School District has been informed the three attend Centralia schools, district spokesperson Ed Petersen said.
They’ve made additional counseling resources available at two schools, which he wouldn’t identify.
“I know teachers are talking to their classes,” he said at mid-morning.
“It was a tragedy,” Pannette said.
He said the family with two boys and one girl moved in about a year ago.
“We’re waiting for a pastor to come talk with my son,” he said. “He doesn’t know anything yet.”
A press conference is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Riverside Fire Authority’s main station, when more information is expected to be released.
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A fire investigator examines the area around the front door to the home.
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Police and fire investigators work at the home on Ham Hill Road this morning.
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
Lewis County Daily Checklist:
Wake up…check
Pee …check
Say something stupid on the local hate blog…check
Yep, that’s lewis county livin!
@FreeAir – There are many news accounts here were there is not sufficient information to come up with a root cause or blame. Many of the police reports are also wrong or slanted. Sometimes people are portrayed from arrest reports as really bad people and it turns out that they are innocent or their crimes are really misdemeanors.
If you have ever been in a situation where you were a witness or had inside knowledge of what happened and then see it in a news story or police report it can get very distorted.
Doesn’t stop people from commenting on the stories as they are written or from speculating as to what really might have happened.
In this case there may be no fault by the parent or it could be something combustible left to close to a heat vent or space heater. More suspicious people might think that there could have been more serious negligence involved. Sometimes those suspicions are based on their experience with human nature.
I try to be objective but I am guilty of speculating where there is a vacuum of public information. In the case of the poor dentist’s wife who ended up in the river I speculated that she may have been in a blackout that sad day when she was acting so bizarrely and that she may have been suffering from side effects of drugs given to her for post partum depression. The only facts of that case in the media were that she was diagnosed with PPM and that she was acting very bizarrely that day. My speculation came from not only my direct experience with people on psychiatric drugs but also my prejudice about the dangers of such drugs. The family and the cops are probably the only ones who knew this poor lady’s situation and what really happened and they aren’t saying.
Anyway I guess that wild speculation and insinuating that people are to blame with no hard evidence to support it is wrong and can be hurtful to the people involved. Many are guilty of that on this forum as well as almost every internet comment forum.
Then there are the ignorant or angry who can offer no rational argument or counter argument but can only name call or be profane.
Well @FreeAir, I hope that you continue to chime in when you feel that you can positively contribute.
you sit there morning the loss of 3 children, while we incarcerate many more per capita and kill many more through abortion. We poison our youth with pornography accessible on every computer and cell phone, and portray stoned athletes and musicians as role models. Do we morn the lives we had or mourn the lives that never were? That is the question nobody wants to answer. 58 million since 1973,… im just saying. Inform yourselves. Have a good day. Test your smoke detector.
Don’t go, Free Air! I’m sure we haven’t agreed on everything but you give thoughtful reasons for your positions and I appreciate that. I understand your frustration, though…insult-filled shouting matches are “debates” only in sandboxes and day care centers.
@FreeAir- while I don’t agree With some comments posted here or on the fb group page, people have the right to ask questions, to give opinions, theory’s, they can say what they want.. And it’s not hate talking, but its us seeing too many parents, mom’s especially, hurt their children,, and we give sympathy, prayers, even money in the beginning… Then we find out the parents/ mother intentionally hurt the children… RE: Susan Smith, Andrea Yates for example… It’s occurred too many times in the last 20 years.. These babies are now with God,, they are in no pain,and never will experience ANY kind of pain,,, no more sadness, or tears… I think of only the kids…they are who matter too me
I’ve read some pretty nasty things over the years on this site, but these postings questioning the mother’s actions take the cake!
To all the conspiracy theorists and cop hating people out there who strive to make every story about themselves, or their own personal sick agenda, May you one day realize how much pain and suffering you have caused others; then use your time left on this planet to be of some real positive use to your fellow man.
I’ve decided there’s nothing here on this website worth my time to fight for anymore. It’s just too deep in hate to save, and will only serve to drag me down with it.
Who in God’s name has gone and promoted Finch to detective?It would almost be laughable if not for every now and again a crime so heinous is committed that the victim(s) deserve answers and justice and because of trash like her and several others in local law enforcement they as often as not get it wrong. I need ot list all the instances, they have been are well publicized. But what the hell the old man at the rest home with a few specks of meth was brought to his knees so I guess it all comes out in the wash. When is enough enough?
I’ll stay out of this food fight because the investigation should answer most questions and right now, the important thing (the ONLY thing, really) is the loss of three small children. Sympathy and condolences need to be the order of the day, not finger-pointing and blame. Can’t that wait?
My condolences and prayers go out to the family. RIP sweet babies.
REALLY, why all the foul things being tossed about. Who cares who is educated, good or bad person, nasty or nice. What is important is being supportive to a family who lost three children. Come on be better when the eyes of the nation are upon our city. Be respectful.
The other victims of this tragedy are the first responders (police,fire, ems) and the folks at the Coroner’s office all of whom have to deal with the aftermath. These folks work day-to-day with tragedies and stay strong serving our community.
I cannot imagine also what the family is going through and as a parent I pray to God I never find myself in a position to know how they feel. Losing three children at once is something no one could ever be “prepared” for.
It is truly a devastating event for the entire community.
As I read the most current article and have listened to the news the most important moral of this story is have smoke Detectors and check the batteries often. Still a sad ordeal though. Check your batteries now.
I agree with ashlys statement.
My thoughts and prayers to the family.
Jen , don’t you mean smart?
Your headline says it all – stillwaitingforjustice – you’re a moron. I may be a bitch but I didn’t cast the first stone. Nothing better to do in Lewis county than to prey on innocent people? Check your news article asswipe. It said three floors in the Chronicle this morning. You are pants on head retarded and should quit imbreeding! It isn’t helping your intelligence or your attitude. Always the need for drama in those er parts
I agree with Brenda, Jen-your a bitch, it was a 2 story house, so they were not 3 floors apart, maybe you need to learn how to read, or maybe you should consider donating your organs
Prayers to the family.
You know it is really sad that everyone has to start drama when something like this happens….. this mother just lost her children…..little babies died…. and some people care more about themselves and commenting on what others have said….I feel so bad for the family and friends who are having to deal with this it can’t be easy….let’s grow up people and show some respect to the situation….the last thing anyone needs to do is post anything personal about themselves unless u have dealt with something like this and u are giving any kind of positive comfort u should keep it to yourself….I am so sorry for the family and friends for their lost may God be there to comfort you through this extremely unimaginable time you must be going through
Really Brenda? Maybe you should have learned to read as well. They were three floors a part and the mother could not get to them in time. Pretty heartless to say that she hopes they investigate when it was already written they will. Join Ashly at the hospital in donating too. Better yet – rub the two marbles rolling around in that cranial space where a brain should be. It should have never posted anything to begin with. If no one knows anything or can’t read – keep your mouth shut and stay off the computer. It is for smrt people.
Actually all of you name calling and wishing death and violence on Ashely are more of a let down and mirror image of the trash you all speak of. Love not hate! She didn’t say she thought the mom did it…she said she hopes they fully investigate (duh) and that she hoped that a mom wouldn’t have done such a thing. Actually my initial response to seeing this is…I would be dead too there’s no way. But really… None of us knows what we would be able to deal with until it is presented for us to deal with it. Judgemental much?
Ashly
You are an indictment against whatever very poor teaching system failed to educate you. In anything.
Especially manners, compassion and appropriate behavior
Ashly – perhaps you’re the part of Lewis County that was never learned to read in school. If she had been upstairs she would not have made it. Guess you can be part of the decay of society that contributes to being trash. Do us a favor, drive yourself to the hospital and donate your organs. This mother is going through hell and lost everything. Shame on you.
Wow, she lost EVERYTHING and you want to judge. Okay, just to let you know, she was on the first floor and the kids were on the second floor. By the time she happened to wake up, there was nothing she could do. Bravo for the officer who was injured trying to save the children.
TO ASHLY:
SHAME ON YOU!
YOU WEREN’T THERE… HOW RUDE
Do not judge this mother. Her kids areher world. If you know her you know that.. Wow.. My heart is breaking for you right now.love and prayers to you.
What a horrible tragedy!! Thoughts and prayers to this mother, as well as the rest of the family!!
I’m so sorry for your losses. Prayers and thoughts for your whole family. I can’t imagine how this mom feels. It’s just so sad that people want to make inappropriate comments at a time like this. Hugs to this mom.
I’m praying for this family however I hope a complete investigation is done it just doesn’t seem right to me that the mother got away and 3 children are dead..not saying I want the mother to be dead but I don’t see how if she got away why the children couldn’t.. as a mother I would have died right there in that fire trying to get them out but I don’t know specifics of the fire. It’s is very sad and I hope it was an accident but nowadays you just can’t be so sure. It’s such a horrible tragedy. I hope some answers can be found and peace for the family.
So sorry. Sending prayer.
RIP
My deepest sympathies to the parents of these 3 children….I can not even imagine the horror the parents are going through now. This community needs to surround these parents with all the love and support they can muster up. RIP Angels…
Thoughts and prayers for this family.