Bill DeBus
The News-Herald, Willoughby, Ohio (TNS)
Nov. 3—Food left unattended while cooking on a stove caused the Oct. 30 fire that killed two people in Euclid.
That blaze happened accidentally, according to a Nov. 2 ruling issued by the Euclid Fire Department Investigative Unit and the Ohio Fire Marshal's Office.
"There was no evidence of foul play or arson," Euclid Assistant Fire Chief Will Anderson said in a news release.
The victims of the fire — 31-year-old Gabrielle Lepre and her 5-year-old son, Chase Goodson — both died from severe smoke inhalation, Anderson said.
Lepre and Chase were inside their residence at the Aljer Manor Apartments, located at 24134 Euclid Ave., when the fire started.
Euclid Fire Department was dispatched to the three-story, 12-unit building, at 8:33 a.m. Oct. 30 for a report of smoke in a hallway.
After arriving five minutes later, firefighters learned from Euclid police that two occupants were believed to be inside apartment B3. Police had tried to enter that apartment at 8:36 a.m. but were thwarted by heavy smoke and heat.
Euclid firefighters stretched a hose into the building, forced open the apartment door, and entered for fire control and searches.
"The crew, led by 32-year veteran Lt. Rich Storey, encountered zero visibility and high heat conditions," Anderson said.
Firefighters discovered Lepre face-up on the living room floor, about 10 feet away from the burning kitchen.
"Lt. Storey and another firefighter dragged Gabrielle to the hallway, where she was removed to the exterior (and transferred to paramedics)," Anderson said.
Storey and his crew continued searching the apartment, and eventually found Chase lying face-down on a floor near a bedroom doorway.
"His bedroom door was open," Anderson said.
Chase was carried out and given to another team of Euclid Fire Department paramedics. The boy and his mother were transported by ambulances to separate area hospitals.
Lepre and Chase each were pronounced dead in the hospitals' emergency rooms, according to the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office.
Anderson said the blaze, although tragic, offers three important fire safety lessons:
—Make sure smoke alarms have working batteries.
"As we set clocks back this weekend, be sure to test your alarm and check your batteries," Anderson said.
On the morning of the fatal fire, a smoke alarm sounded in the common hallway of the building to alert residents, Anderson said. But the smoke alarm inside apartment B3, where Lepre and Chase lived, had its battery removed for unknown reasons, the assistant chief added.
In addition, any smoke alarm that is greater than 10 years old needs to be replaced, Anderson said.
" Euclid Fire Department partners with the American Red Cross of Northern Ohio to provide smoke alarms in owner-occupied homes for Euclid residents," he said.
—People should always sleep with their bedroom door closed.
"A closed door prevents smoke and heat from entering while you sleep," Anderson said
—Never leave food cooking unattended on a stovetop.
"Falling asleep or walking away for just a minute can result in injuries, or even deaths," he said.
Anderson said Euclid Fire Department also conveys its sincerest condolences to friends and family of Lepre and Chase.
"As a community, others can learn from this and help reduce risk and prevent similar tragedies," he said.
A GoFundMe campaign was launched Oct. 31 to raise money for covering the funeral expenses of Lepre and Chase. As of 12:30 p.m. Nov. 3, the online fundraising endeavor had generated $2,250 of a $15,000 goal.
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