An extension cord hooked to an electric grill on a porch shorted out and started a house fire that killed five people, reports the Associated Press.
Orofino Fire Chief Mike Lee said the house was fully engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived after a neighbor reported the fire at 1:38 a.m.
He said smoke inhalation likely killed the two adults and three teens whose bodies were also badly burned in the fire. He said the dead were a family of four plus a teenage friend who was sleeping over to help celebrate a birthday.
Autopsies are planned Monday, but he said there was no sign of foul play.
“It was an extension cord,” the chief said. “They had it plugged into an appliance and it wasn’t heavy enough to pack the load of the appliance and the cord shorted out.”
He said the house, a rental, didn’t have smoke alarms. He said three of the victims were found in bed.
Read more of the stories herehttp://tinyurl.com/dxdxbzo
