Talawanda High School student dies in house fire
Talawanda High School has confirmed that a student died in a house fire April 22. The student, who was a senior, has not been identified.
Editor's Note: This story has been updated with information from an Oxford Fire Department press release.
A Talawanda High School senior died in a house fire April 22, THS Principal Scott Davie announced on April 23.
Davie did not identify the student by name. Director of Communications Holli Hansel confirmed that the family has requested not to release the student's name at this time.
"Death at any time can cause many different feelings and have a profound effect on students," Davie wrote in an email to the community. "It is important to talk with your child about their feelings of grief, even if it is difficult. The best way to help is to listen and be reassuring."
The email also included suggested resources including school counselors, the Butler County Crisis Hotline which accepts calls and texts to 1-844-427-4747, and Ohio's 211 helpline.
FOX19 reported that the housefire took place on Booth Road near US 27. Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.
According to a press release from the Oxford Fire Department, the fire was first reported shortly before 4:30 p.m. April 22. Fire crews were met with "heavy smoke and fire" on arrival, the press release stated.
"There were numerous obstructions surrounding the house, including vehicles that were also on fire," according to the press release. One resident was able to escape through the window but said her adult son was still inside. Crews were unable to gain entry due to obstructions and the volume of fire. After the natural gas line was shut off and the fire was brought under control, fire crews located the deceased person in the house, an 18-year-old Talawanda student.
Multiple surrounding fire departments from Milford, Ross and Reily Townships, as well as the Oxford Township Police and the Oxford Police Department, assisted in the response. An investigation led by the Ohio State Fire Marshal's Office Fire and Explosion Investigative Bureau is ongoing, according to the Oxford Fire Department.
