SIDNEY — An early morning fire Thursday in Sidney claimed the lives of a mother and her daughter.
While the Sidney Fire Department will not release the names of the victims until the State Fire Marshal’s Office confirms their identities, Adams Funeral Home, Sidney, submitted a death notice which included the names of Goldie A. (Fisher) North, 36, and her daughter, Luana North, 3, as the two people who died in the fire.
According to the Sidney Fire Department, firefighters were dispatched a two-story single family residence at 519 W. North St., Sidney, at 2:30 a.m. Thursday, April 21. The initial call stated there where victims were trapped in the house.
Firefighters discovered large volumes of fire involving the rear of the structure on both the first and second floors, with reports of several victims trapped on the second floor of the home.
Fire crews began fighting the fire and started searches for the victims on the second floor of the home. Search crews gained access to the second floor with the fire department ladders.
Sidney Police officers assisted two adult victims, who located on the first floor, exit the fire. They received medical care at the scene for possible smoke inhalation, and were then transported to Wilson Hospital.
The names of the adult victims will be released at a later time. They are being assisted by the American Red Cross.
After the fire was brought under control, crews were able to gain access to the entire second floor of the structure. During secondary/additional searches they located the bodies of the mother and daughter on the second floor of the home.
Initial crews on the scene reported finding one activated/working smoke detector on the second floor of the home.
The State Fire Marshal’s Office along with the Sidney Fire Investigation Unit and the Shelby County Coroner’s office coordinated the removal of the deceased and transportation to the Miami Valley Coroner office for positive identification and autopsy.
Two casualties were reported by emergency responders on scene, requiring one firefighter to be transported to Wilson Hospital for evaluation. That firefighter has since been released from Wilson.
The cause of the fire is currently under investigation in coordination with the Sidney Fire Investigation Unit along with the State Fire Marshal’s office. The structure and contents are a total loss, damages estimates will be released at a future time.
“Sidney Fire has utilized the services of Tri-County Crisis Response Team in the past, initial efforts are currently underway regarding securing counseling/debriefing for all first responders involved in the unfortunate fatal fire,” said Chief Brad Jones.
Fire crews from Anna and Lockington, as well as all off-duty Sidney Fire personnel, assisted with fire suppression. Port Jefferson EMS and Anna EMS assisted with medical care/treatment and transportation from the scene during the incident.
Arrangements are pending for the Norths is pending at Adams Funeral Home, Sidney.
This is the second house fire in two days that the fire department has battled. A fire early Wednesday morning caused $220,000 to the structure and contents of a house at 520 Arrowhead Drive. Jim and Lori Frye and their two children escaped injury in the fire.
