Blaze kills 3 people as family watches

By Matt Dinger

Published: June 19, 2008

OLUSTEE — A house went up in flames within minutes here Wednesday morning, killing a mother and her two children.

The bodies of a 20-year-old woman and two boys, 3 and 5 years old, were found inside the house at 502 I Street after the fire was extinguished, Olustee Police Chief Victor Martinez said.

All three died from smoke inhalation, according to the medical examiner's office. The fire started about 11 a.m. in a faulty window air conditioner, a fire marshal said.

"My son was driving a tractor by the school ... 10 minutes before it happened ... he said there was no smoke at all,” Olustee Public School Superintendent Roger Allen said.

"My elementary school principal came by and said the house was on fire,” Allen said. "The granddad was trying to get into the house ... he was trying to break a window and get in, but couldn't. It was just engulfed.”

By the time firefighters arrived, 50 to 60 people were at the house trying to help, he said.

The victims' names are not being released pending positive identification, Martinez said.

Most of the family lives on the same block, Allen said. The woman's grandmother, grandfather, great-grandmother and great-grandfather were all at the house while it burned.

"I've known her family for years. They're good folks,” Allen said.

Olustee is about 10 miles southwest of Altus.