More Remains Found At Site Of Fire-Ravaged West Chester Senior Center, ATF Says
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Authorities have located the remains of the remaining two victims inside the fire-ravaged senior living community that went up in flames in West Chester last week.
Investigators located the remains of the first two victims on Tuesday while excavating the south wing of the Barclay Friends Senior Center.
Recovery efforts continued Wednesday in the south wing where investigators believe the fire started. These victims were transported from the scene by the Chester County Coroner and the families of the four missing residents were notified.
On Monday, Chester County District Attorney Tom Hogan announced that four people were unaccounted for in the fire.
"This is a tragedy," said Hogan. "We have four people unaccounted for and we're not expecting good news."
The massive blaze tore through Barclay Friends last Thursday, injuring more than two-dozen people and displacing 133 residents.
"The thoughts and prayers of the men and women of ATF and all of our emergency responders are with the families of the victims during this difficult time. Their losses only strengthen our resolve to provide answers to them as a result of our investigation of this tragedy" said Special Agent in Charge Donald Robinson.
Authorities have yet to identify the four missing residents, only saying that the missing included a married couple — an 89-year-old wife and 92-year-old husband, an 85-year-old woman and a 93-year-old woman.
"Investigating a fire of this size is truly a team effort," said ATF Philadelphia Field Division Special Agent in Charge Donald Robinson. "We appreciate the dedication of our personnel as well as all of the state and local partners who worked tirelessly to thoroughly investigate this fire to find the remaining victims and attempt to determine the fire's origin and cause. We hope with the recovery of the four victims these families can now start to heal and that we can provide some closure for them."
The cause of the fire is still unknown.
