Crime & Safety
House Fire That Killed Soldier and Two Daughters Ruled Accidental
A charcoal grill on an outdoor deck was the source of the blaze that killed Edward Duane Cantrell as he tried to save his 6- and 4-year-old girls, Cumberland County Arson Investigators say.
(The following is a press release from the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office)
Cumberland County Sheriff’s Arson Investigators have determined that an accidental fire, which claimed the lives of three people last week, began on an outdoor deck in an area where a charcoal grill was located. Fire damage to the home was extensive and investigators have been unable to determine the source. It’s believed the fire may have been started by an outdoor charcoal grill.
36-year old Edward Duane Cantrell and his daughters, 6-year old Isabella and 4-year old Natalia, of 4151 Pecan Drive, Hope Mills died of smoke inhalation. Their bodies were found by firefighters inside the home on Tuesday, March 6, 2012 shortly after an early morning call for help.
37-year old Louise Cantrell escaped the fire after jumping from a second story bedroom window of the home and ran to a nearby business to get help. Mrs. Cantrell and a family pet were the only survivors of the fire.
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