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Updated: 6:53 PM Mar 2, 2010
Family Fondly Remembers Elderly Fire Victim and Homestead
A deadly fire not only took the life of a dear loved one, but wiped out a piece of family history. It's a double whammy one family is struggling to understand.
Posted: 6:33 PM Mar 2, 2010Reporter: Carrie Cline Email Address: carrie.cline@wsaz.com |
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9 Comments 
UPDATE from 5pm Tuesday 3/2 Newscast
LAWRENCE COUNTY, Ohio (WSAZ) -- A deadly fire not only took the life of a dear loved one, but wiped out a piece of family history. It's a double whammy one family is struggling to understand.
The fire happened along Haynes Branch Road in Lawrence County.
Not much was left of the family homestead nearly 100 years in the making.
Zane Rickard has fond memories of this home. It's where his grandparents raised his dad, James, and his five brothers and sisters.
"I spent spent a lot of time here, too," he said.
For Zane's Uncle John, during his 80 years, the home was the only place he had ever lived -- until Monday night.
Around 9 p.m. Monday, fire ripped through the family homestead. By the time neighbors noticed the flames, it already was too late.
"The neighbor tried to get in, but it was too hot," Zane said. "By the time firefighters arrived, the flames were really high."
Fire investigators aren't sure what started the fire, but they know where -- in John Rickard's living room.
"That's where he spent all of his time -- watching TV," Zane said.
The family tells us John had a lot of trouble getting around, had heart problems, was on oxygen and was a smoker. In addition to that, he lived alone. It had all long been a concern for the family.
"We tried to get him to come live with us, but he wouldn’t do it," Zane said. "He said this is where he wanted to stay."
Fire investigators say the fire does not appear to be suspicious. They did not find any smoke detectors, and witnesses didn't hear any detectors beeping.
UPDATE: Tuesday, March 2 @ 11:30am
LAWRENCE COUNTY, Ohio (WSAZ) -- An elderly man has died in a house fire in Lawrence County, Ohio.
According to his brother, 80-year-old John Rickard died in the fire.
The brother says Rickard lived alone and was on oxygen for a heart problem.
The fire happened Monday night on Haynes Branch Road, which is just off of Buffalo Creek Road near Chesapeake.
A neighbor spotted the fire, but the two story frame house was burning too intensely for them to even get near the house.
The fire was reported just before 9:30 p.m.
Because of the amount of damage, investigators with State Fire Marshals' Office say they were unable to determine an exact cause.
They believe the fire started in the living room.
Investigators say they did not find any smoke detectors in the house.
Keep clicking on WSAZ.com for updated information.
Latest Comments
im sorry for the loss of john our family has known the rickard family since elementary school john was a very nice man he loved his home and was very proud of his heritage and his family thanks to the fire fighters may God bless this family during their loss.
my thoughts and prayers are with the family. And thanks for all the support of us firefighters. Im glad we have a community that supports us.
my prayers go out to the family.. there was like 5 different stations at the fire. i know that fayette was there till after 5this morning. please pray for the firefighters as well as the family because the firefighters were the ones that found the body. and it causes much grief to them.
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