| A double-fatal fire in a mobile home in Roane County appears to have been an accident.
A heating source may have been the cause, according to the State Fire Marshal's Office.
Investigations continue into fatal fires in Cabell, Harrison and Greenbrier counties.
TWO PERISH IN EARLY MORNING BLAZE
By David Hedges Publisher
The Times Record-Roane County Reporter
One of the survivors of a fire that claimed the lives of two people Saturday said she would not be alive today if not for her best friend, who perished in the blaze.
Five people were in the Jerry Bailey residence at 1302 Clay Rd. when the fire was discovered around 2:30 a.m. Only three escaped.
The bodies of Frances A. Stump, 46, of Spencer and her boyfriend, Richard Braskett, 51, of Millwood were found in a corner bedroom after the fire was extinguished.
Bridget McClain said she and Bailey were the only ones in the home when they went to bed around 1 a.m.
There was a fire in the wood-burning stove in what they called the "wood room," which firefighters described as an 8x16-foot addition built on to a 72x12-foot addition to the mobile home, which was 72x14-feet.
Stump, Braskett and Stump's niece, Melissa Dawn Templon, arrived at the home sometime after 2 a.m.
After they were in the home for only a few minutes, they noticed smoke filling the home and went to wake Bailey and McClain.
"Frannie woke us up and said there was a fire," said McClain. "We got up and put some clothes on and walked through the house."
When they arrived at the door to the wood room, McClain said Stump opened the door.
"The flames came out the door and went across the ceiling like a wave," McClain said. "I've never seen anything like it."
As they started to leave the house, McClain stopped long enough to call 911 ...
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