GLENOMA, Wash. — Three people are dead after an early morning fire in Lewis County raced through a small home Thursday.
The fire was in the town of Glenoma, east of Morton along Highway 12.
Firefighters were called to the home about 3:30 a.m. After they put out the flames, they searched the home and found three people dead inside.
Terisa Countryman said her mother, stepfather and brother lived in the home now gutted by fire.
Although investigators have not confirmed who died in the blaze, Countryman says she is almost certain it was them.
"They were good people. They were elderly and they didn't get around very well. My little brother was taking care of them," said Countryman.
Flames moved quickly through the home built in 1940, leaving little behind.
Countryman says her mother and stepfather moved to the tiny Lewis County town 30 years ago, when he worked as a security guard at a lumber mill in nearby Morton until both needed their family to take care of them.
Investigators say they will have a tough time determining the cause and origin because the fire devastated the structure and may have destroyed valuable evidence in the process.
The Lewis County Sheriff's Office is leading the investigation, even though there is no indication at this stage that the blaze was anything other than an accident.
“This is a death investigation until determined otherwise, but right now we’re just sifting through all the evidence,” said Lewis County Sheriff Rob Snaza.
The investigation into what started the fire and the three victims’ cause of death is still underway and could take several weeks.
Cox Media Group
