COLUMBUS, Ohio — The bodies of a grandmother and her young grandson were found as crews were searching through the rubble of a burned home in Blacklick on Tuesday.
The Jefferson Township Fire Department said dispatchers received a call just before 2:15 a.m. about a fire in the 8600 block of Greylag Street, just east of North Waggoner Road and west of Taylor Road.
Heavy plumes of smoke were seen coming from the house and flames could be seen burning inside the first and second floors.
Jefferson Township Fire Chief Bradford Shull said four people were in the house. When the crew arrived, they saw two young girls – ages 10 and 12 – outside of the home.
Officials said the girls were alerted to the fire after hearing the smoke detector and seeing smoke inside the home. The girls told fire officials that their grandmother helped them get out of the house.
The grandmother and her grandson, who Shull said was 4 or 5 years old, were unaccounted for as firefighters battled the large fire into the late morning hours. Shull said firefighters could not enter the home earlier because of the extent of the fire.
One of the girls was treated on the scene for smoke inhalation.
Crews started searching through the damage during daylight hours.
During the search, two bodies were found together inside the home. Their identities have not been released, but Shull confirmed that the bodies were of the grandmother and grandson.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation. The American Red Cross was contacted for assistance.
This is a developing story. Stay with 10TV for more updates.