PARKERSBURG - Officials Tuesday released the identities of two girls who died in a St. Marys Avenue fire over the weekend.
Marsha Dadisman, director of communications with the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, confirmed the identities of the victims as 2-year-old Ayane K. Keel and 4-year-old Aurhyana Keel.
Dadisman said the medical examiner's office would not release information on the cause of death, but Chief Fire Inspector Tim Flinn, with the Parkersburg Fire Department, said the cause of death was smoke inhalation.
The preliminary investigation of the duplex fire, at 1335 St. Marys Ave., concluded Monday, but fire officials have not closed the books. Investigators determined that the fire Saturday was accidental in nature and originated in the dining room, where there was a gas-fired wall heater.
The cause of the fire has not been determined.
"We're confident it was an accidental fire. We're confident about where it started, but, yes, I think there may be some ongoing investigation," said Parkersburg Fire Chief Eric Taylor.
There is a discrepancy about whether smoke detectors were in the apartment. While none were found by investigators, the tenant said smoke detectors were in the home but may not have been working, said Taylor.
"There was extensive damage to the house, so if there were any detectors, they may have been destroyed in the fire," said Taylor.
The father of the victims, Dustin Antawn Keel, 28, was at home when the fire started. With the help of a neighbor, he escaped the house with 3-year-old Anton Keel, officials said.
In the aftermath of the fire, Dustin Keel was arrested Saturday on unrelated charges and remains in North Central Regional Jail on a capias warrant issued by Wood County Circuit Court on a petition to revoke his probation. This stems from a 2009 plea to delivery of a controlled substance.
Keel's arraignment on the warrant is scheduled for 9 a.m. Thursday before Wood County Circuit Court Judge Jeffrey Reed.
Keel was placed on probation on Nov. 13, 2011 after he petitioned for a reconsideration of his sentence. Reed sentenced Keel to one to five years with credit to be calculated, to be served consecutively to any previous convictions and pending charges of child neglect, sentence suspended for three years probation.
On June 10, 2009, Keel was sentenced after his March 3, 2009 guilty plea to a charge of delivery of a controlled substance as charged by the January 2009 grand jury. He was sentenced to one to five years in prison with credit for 49 days served consecutively to any child neglect cases in magistrate court.
On Sept 24, 2009 he was granted a release from Pruntytown on Sept. 29 and placed at the Amity Center.
A family of five lived in the other half of the duplex. Shea Lyons and her four children Garrison Riggs, 3, Dedrick Riggs, 4, Alannah Huber, 6, and Kaydin Huber, 8, had recently moved into the apartment, said Flinn.
While most of the fire damage was contained to the west side of the house, the adjoining apartment sustained minor water and smoke damage. The two apartments are separated by drywall, but share an attic, said Flinn.
The American Red Cross is assisting the family.
