Oxendine: deadly Jefferson fire began in kitchen

JEFFERSON - The State Insurance and Fire Commissioner releases additional information about the fire that killed two people in Jefferson early Saturday morning.

John Oxendine said Mary Nicole Cassell woke up around 2:30 a.m. hungry, so she decided to cook herself something to eat.

"At about 3 o'clock, the children were awakened by screams of fire and saw flames coming from the kitchen," he said.

Oxendine said Cassell's sister and two of her sister's children got out of the house. He said Cassell's 9-year-old niece Winter Wright did not make it out and also died in the blaze.

"The third child apparently had been awakened by family members, but was obviously not fully awake and apparently laid back in bed and went to sleep," said Oxendine.

The two-story house at 785 Johnson Mill Road was completely destroyed. Oxendine said the house did not have a smoke detector.

The blaze has been ruled accidental.