Uncle says he tried to save 7 from Ky. house fire

http://www.centurylink.net/news/rea...ass&action=1&lang=en&_LT=UNLC_USNWU00L1_UNEWS

GRAY, Ky. (AP) — Gino Cima raced to a house as it was engulfed by flames in rural Kentucky, frantically trying to save his nephew, his nephew's pregnant fiancee and five young children inside. But he was too late: He found his nephew's body near a side door, laying in a way that suggested the man had been trying to rescue the sleeping children.

Before coming upon his nephew's body and that of the man's fiancee, he said he screamed to firefighters: "There's babies in that house!"...........

"And that's when they had the five babies laying out in the front yard," he said.

The Knox County coroner and state police have not yet identified the victims, but family members said the five children killed ranged in age from 10 months to 3 years.

Relatives said the nephew's fiancée was the mother of three of the children who died. The other two children were siblings and friends of the family, visiting for the night for a sleepover, the relatives said.

Officials said the cause of the fire was under investigation. Arson investigators were at the scene Saturday, but officials said no foul play was suspected. State police said Sunday that no more information on the fire would be released until Monday.

More at link.....

What a horrific tragedy. My thoughts are with the family, friends and community.

Money, funeral services given for Ky. fire victims

http://www.centurylink.net/news/read.php?id=19369034&ps=1011&cat=&cps=0&lang=en

GRAY, Ky. (AP) — .................

Investigators were combing through the one-story house Monday for clues to the cause of the blaze that was discovered about 9 a.m. EST. State fire officials said it could be a while before a cause is determined.

Autopsies on the seven bodies were continuing Monday, said State Police Trooper Shane Jacobs, who also declined to discuss what may have caused the blaze. Knox County Coroner Michael Blevins said it will likely be Tuesday before the identities of those killed are released.

Disney picked through the debris that littered the property Monday, including charred photos, books, children's art, broken glass and pieces of the collapsed roof. He spoke with investigators. He said the house that burned, which is in a rural area populated with brick homes, trailers and small farms, was his childhood home, and he still lives in a neighboring home. The area contains the homes of so many family members that it's nicknamed "Disneyland."

"You got to come by the place every day and look at it," he said. "It's sad. I grew up in this house. There's a lot of memories in this house for me."...........

Police: Smoke inhalation killed 7 in Ky. fire

http://www.centurylink.net/news/read.php?rip_id=<DA4VJ7H82@news.ap.org>&ps=1011

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — An engaged couple and five children killed in a weekend house fire in southern Kentucky died from smoke inhalation, investigators said Tuesday as they worked to determine the cause of the blaze.

Trooper Shane Jacobs said those who died in the blaze Saturday in the community of Gray were 27-year-old Jesse Disney; his fiancée, 22-year-old Nina Asher; her three children, 3-year-old William Gray Jr., 2-year-old Camden Gray and 8-month-old Abigail Gray; and family friends who were staying over, 2-year-old Paiten Cox and 2-year-old Brielle Cox..............