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Metro PD identify victims in deadly house fire, cause is still under investigation

<i>WSMV</i><br/>Metro Police released the names of the victims who died in the fire and added that the third person who was hospitalized later died.
WSMV
WSMV
Metro Police released the names of the victims who died in the fire and added that the third person who was hospitalized later died.

By Mary Alice Royse, Sharon Danquah, Danica Sauter

Click here for updates on this story

    NASHVILLE, Tennessee (WSMV) — Nashville Fire crews were on the scene Saturday to put out a house fire where two people were trapped inside.

NFD said on Twitter that the house fire occurred at the 3000 block of Leondale Terrace. Crews worked quickly to extinguish the fire.

On Sunday morning, Metro Police released the names of the victims who died in the fire and added that the third person who was hospitalized later died.

35-year-old Angela Burgess and Johnny Young, 60, were presumed to be the two found inside the home following the fire.

Michael Young, 44, was taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center where he later died from his injuries.

In addition to the three that died, police said six others were in the home at the time of the fire but remained uninjured.

The homeowner rents single rooms of the residence to individuals, police said.

Police added that the cause of the fire is still under investigation.

According to the investigation, when crews attempted to enter the home, they had to force their way in because something blocked the door. Upon entry, they realized a person was blocking the entrance due to them attempting to escape.

As crews worked through the home, they found two victims. Unfortunately, crews said they could not perform life-saving procedures due to their injuries.

“At 8 o’clock this morning people were banging on my door saying, they are pulling bodies out of the house,” Gregory Ostine, a neighbor said.

Trying to understand what happened, Ostine said he asked a neighbor who was inside and was told his daughter.

“I kept calling my daughter and calling my daughter, texting her and texting her and nothing,” Ostine said.

“Our rescue crews were searching the home to see if there were any persons that were inside while this fire was blazing,” Kendra Loney, the Nashville Fire PIO said.

Within seconds, crews found two people who were burned beyond recognition.

“There were other things that were alerting them that this may have some criminal involvement,” Loney said.

“Since those people were beyond medical help they left them there so that their bodies could be used for evidence,” Loney said.

While police spent hours sifting through the evidence of what may be an arson and homicide investigation, Ostine and many others were left waiting.

“I’m going to sit here until they take her body out of that house,” Ostine said. “And if it means that it rains on me then it rains on me. If they take her body out at 3 a.m. then I will sit here until 3 a.m. because I’m a parent.

Officials are still looking for the cause of the fire and more evidence.

Nashville Fire said the scene is now an arson and homicide investigation.

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