HANOVER, Pa. — The victims have been identified following a fatal fire in southern York County on Jan. 8.
The coroner's office announced that 79-year-old Ronald Richard died at the scene of the blaze and 4-year-old Chase Bucher later died at the hospital.
Bucher's death has been ruled accidental following severe smoke inhalation and thermal burns, according to the coroner's office.
Emergency crews responded to the 2000 block of Black Rock Road in West Manheim Township at 11:44 p.m. for the fatal structure fire.
According to assistant fire chief Ted Clousher with the Pleasent Hill Fire Company, people were inside the house at the time of the fire. The initial cause of the blaze is careless smoking. It's believed Richard, who was wheelchair-bound, was smoking inside the home's garage while on active oxygen intake.
The oxygen tanks subsequently exploded, causing the deadly blaze and fire damage to the entire home.
"It's an accident that really shouldn't have happened," Clousher said. "We keep telling people, be careful with smoking in the house."
Firefighters administered CPR on Bucher after he was pulled from the home and was rushed to UPMC Hanover. However, the four-year-old later died of injuries. He had been visiting at the home.
"It's always worse when you work on a child," Clousher said.
A third victim, also an adult, was transported to York Hospital for burns. Their condition is not known at this time.
Clousher says firefighters did not see or hear smoke detectors when battling the blaze.
Now, all that’s left of the house are its charred remains.
"We keep telling people, they don't listen," Clousher said. "If you're going to smoke, smoke outside. I'd rather fight a woods fire than a house fire."
Three firemen were reportedly transported to UPMC Hanover for smoke inhalation.