18-year-old Carrollton High School student killed in fire
WASHINGTON TWP. ‒ An 18-year-old Carrollton High School student was killed Saturday night in a house fire caused by a wood-burning stove, Carrollton Fire Chief Shane Thomas said.
Aiden McNutt was pronounced dead at his family's home at Andora and Rush roads, Thomas said. The location is northeast of Carrollton.
He said Brian and Shari McNutt got home around 9:30 p.m. Saturday, started a fire in the stove and went to their bedroom in the basement. Brian woke to the smell of smoke at approximately 11:30 p.m.
"By this time, they had gone to the main floor of the house," Thomas said. "The fire had advanced too far. They were yelling up to Aiden to jump out a window."
The teen had been in a second-floor bedroom.
"There's just no way to tell at this point what was going on in that second story, why he couldn't get to a window," Thomas said. "The heat and smoke goes through the house pretty fast. There will never be a full understanding of why he couldn't get to a window or what exactly happened there."
Thomas said a deputy sheriff said Shari tried to re-enter the house before firefighters arrived, but a deputy took her back to the end of the driveway.
She was treated for a burn on her hand, Thomas said.
Aiden participated in many sports and activities at Carrollton.
"All of us at Carrollton Schools are saddened by the sudden passing of Aiden McNutt, a senior at CHS," Carrollton Exempted Village Schools said in a statement posted on its website. "He was a very outgoing student that was a member of the wrestling, track, and trap shooting teams. He was also in chamber chorus and academic challenge. He will certainly be missed by all that knew him, but we are all thankful for the great memories and stories that he left behind for us to cherish.
"The family asks that everyone please accept their request for privacy at this most difficult time and they are thankful for the prayers and support that they have received."
The fire chief said the home had smoke detectors, but it was believed they were probably not working.
The Carrollton Fire Department was called at 11:47 p.m. They were assisted by firefighters from Augusta and Fox townships.
Thomas said firefighters arrived at 11:59 p.m. to find the two-story home fully engulfed in fire.
"The fire was advanced to a level we couldn't make entry," Thomas said. "We extinguished the fire from the perimeter."
Two state fire marshals responded to the scene and assisted firefighters in searching for Aiden. Thomas said his body was was found at 7:35 a.m. Sunday.
The state fire marshal has completed its investigation, Thomas said. He did not know when the Carroll County Coroner's Office investigation would be finished.
Due to the level of destruction caused by the fire, it is not possible to know how the woodburner caused the fire, such as by overheating or escaping flames, Thomas said.
The fire chief said his children knew Aiden and spoke very highly of him. He said prayers would be a "huge way" of helping the family.
Donations for the family may be made to the McNutt Family Foundation at Huntington Bank, 1045 Trump Road NW, Carrollton OH 44615.
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This article originally appeared on The Repository: Student Aiden McNutt, 18, killed in fire at Carrollton home
