Firefighters in West Virginia, discovered five bodies in the remains of a house fire in Hardy County on January 6. Tragically, Hunter Campbell, 28, and four of his children, Grayson, Bucklee, Abilene, and Jayce, all perished in the fire. Campbell’s fiancée, Candi Strawderman, escaped the fire. Her daughter, ALayla, also survived the blaze.
Investigators believe the fire began in the living room area of the family’s mobile home because space heaters were found in the rubble, according to West Virginia Metro News. Due to the extent of the damage, it is unlikely they will be able to determine the exact cause. Family and friends are doing their best to help Campbell and her daughter rebuild their lives after the horrific fire.
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Firefighters arrived at the mobile home early in the morning.
The West Virginia fire marshal released a statement on Facebook outlining the details of the fire. Per the post, firefighters arrived at the blaze around 5 a.m. Strawderman reportedly escaped from the mobile home. It is unclear whether her older daughter was at home at the time of the fire.
Metro News reported the terrified mother went next door to a family member’s home. By the time emergency personnel arrived, the mobile home was engulfed in flames.
Crews rushed inside to try to save the family.
The fire marshal reported Strawderman was taken to a hospital for treatment. When emergency crews got inside the home, they discovered the bodies of Campbell and his four children, whose ages ranged from 1 to 5 years. Their bodies were taken to the medical examiner’s office to be autopsied.
“The cause of the fire will be ruled undetermined due to the severe amount of damage to the structure. No smoke alarms were found among the debris,” the Facebook statement reads.
The home is apparently a total loss.
Deputy State Fire Marshal Jason Baltic told Metro News that space heaters were found in the rubble in the living area of the mobile home and may have contributed to the fire, but it is hard to tell. The flames totally destroyed the dwelling.
“Everything in that living room is completely destroyed. There’s nothing left in there, floors and everything, they are all gone,” he explained.
It is possible the tragedy could have been prevented.
Baltic told Metro News that living in a home without smoke detectors is a mistake.
“That is a huge, huge way from keeping this from happening,” Baltic told the news outlet. “There are countless lives that [have] been lost because of no smoke detectors, no smoke alarms.”
He added that programs exist that provide free smoke detectors for families to use in their homes.
“Some fire departments will give those out and install them for free. The state Fire Marshal’s Office, we have a program we run through the Red Cross, we will come and install them,” Baltic shared.
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Family and friends are raising money for the family.
The community is rallying around the family. Loved ones have launched two GoFundMe campaigns for the family. The first, for Strawderman, has raised nearly its $65,000 goal thus far.
“This family needs all the prayers & help," organizer Brandie Hall wrote on the page. “With permission of the family I have set this up for it to help with Funeral Expenses, medical bills, & whatever else they need to help build somewhat of their life back. If you can not donate, please just share! Thank you so much! Also, surviving with Candi is her daughter who will need support as she lost her siblings.”
Tiffany Stepp created a GoFundMe page for a woman named Megan, the mother of Abilene and Jayce. It has raised almost $18,000 of a $25,000 goal thus far. “We appreciate all the out pour of love from the community at this time. We thank you all,” Hall wrote on the page.
