Three people, including a child, were killed in a house fire Wednesday morning in the Town of Dryden, according to the Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities have identified the victims as 30-year-old Christy Oralls, 31-year-old Katherine Gray, and 3-year-old Paisley Wood. Oralls and Paisley were mother and daughter. Gray, who was visiting from Whitney Point, was Oralls’ cousin.
Investigators say the victims were living at the Cortland Road home with 54-year-old David Welch, who rents the property with his wife. Welch was taken to Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse and is in stable condition. His wife was not home at the time of the fire.
Officials also say several family pets may have died in the fire. The cause remains under investigation with assistance from state fire investigators.
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A house fire in the Town of Dryden this morning is believed to have resulted in multiple deaths, authorities say.
Deputies from the Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office and fire crews responded around 10:08 a.m. April 1 to a structure fire in the 300 block of Cortland Road. Firefighters found the residence fully engulfed when they arrived, according to multiple local news reports citing law enforcement.
Officials say they suspect occupants were inside the home and may have been unable to escape, and that fatalities are likely, though the exact number of victims has not been officially confirmed. Emergency crews remained on scene into the afternoon as the blaze was extinguished and the investigation continued.
State Route 13 between Dutcher Road and Gulf Hill Road was closed to traffic as responders worked at the scene, according to state travel reports.
The sheriff’s office says investigators are awaiting safe access to the property before they can fully determine the cause of the fire and confirm the number of victims. Additional information is expected once authorities finish their initial investigation.
