Five people, including four children, died in a Sunday morning fire at a duplex in Greenville.
"I've been in the fire service for over 30 years and it is certainly the worst fire incident I've been at in my career," said Greenville Fire Chief Mark Wolf.
Fire crews responded to a structure fire at 112 Montgomery Street near downtown Greenville shortly after 9 a.m. on Sunday. They said the fire was fully involved when they arrived at the scene.
Wolf said firefighters entered the house and pulled two victims from inside the burning structure. He said up 10 people lived in one side of the duplex and all of the fatalities occurred there.
He also said people living in the other side of the duplex were not injured.
Investigators said several other people suffered injuries in the fire and were taken to Wayne Hospital in Greenville, Miami Valley Hospital and Children's Medical Center.
They said two were taken by Careflight.
Reginald Coffey said he was in the duplex visiting his girlfriend and her children when the fire broke out. He said he jumped from a window to escape the flames.
"He woke up to it and he said someone was hollering 'Fire!'" Reginald's mom, Lisa Stubbs, told News Center 7. "He said he gets to the door. He said he couldn't get out because the fire was coming up the stairways."
Reginald sustained injuries to his arm when he jumped.
Authorities are investigating if the duplex had smoke detectors.
Greenville fire, Greenville police, the Darke County Coroner and the State Fire Marshal's Office are all investigating this fire. Right now they don't know what started it.
Wolf said there is no reason to believe the fire is suspicious.
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