OXFORD, Ohio — A Talawanda High School senior is dead after a house fire in Oxford, according to a letter from the school sent to staff and families.
The Butler County Coroner's Office identified the student as 18-year-old Ryan Starrett. The coroner has ruled his cause of death was smoke inhalation.
Officials called the home "a total loss" after the fire Tuesday afternoon.
Hear from neighbors who live near the home in the video below:
Oxford firefighters responded to the 4700 block of Booth Road just before 4:30 p.m. for a reported house fire. Officials described the home as a "hoarder" house, which made it harder for crews to search or enter. In a press release sent Wednesday, Oxford police also said there were obstructions outside the home, including vehicles that were on fire.
Crews were not able to get into the building because of those obstructions, and "the heavy volume of fire that was fed by the fire-damaged natural gas meter," the press release says.
When our crews arrived, several people were outside the home, visibly emotional.
Neighbors told WCPO that Tuesday afternoon's fire was like an inferno, leaving many shaken.
Lloyd Allen Jr. lives about three houses down, across the street. Allen says he attempted to help first responders.
"Me and my son were in the backyard playing, and we decided to come up here and ride his tricycle," Allen told WCPO. "We got about right here (on my driveway) and looked up and said ‘Daddy, smoke, fire.’”
Once he was alerted to that smoke, Allen said he rushed towards the burning home.
“By the time I got back there, I guess the mom in a white shirt was trying to pull the garden hose from the house next door, I guess to try to help and do what she could," Allen said. "So, we got in the back and he went around the pool and I went up on the deck, and there were no doors or windows or anything back there.”
Allen said he nor the officer with him were able to get inside; the smoke and flames became too much.
Watch video from the scene below:
What's next for Starrett's family and the Oxford community?
Officials did not tell us how many people lived in the home or were inside at the time of the fire.
In a letter sent to Talawanda High School staff and families, the school said, "The entire THS Family wishes to extend our deepest sympathy and heartfelt condolences to the family, friends, and classmates."
The school also encouraged parents and guardians of students to be extra attentive to their children. If they see any persistent changes in attitude, sleep, and eating, they should contact a professional counselor or the child's school counselor for extra support.
The Telawanda School District says they will follow their custom in honoring Starrett, including devoting a page in this school year’s yearbook and an open chair at the high school's graduation ceremony in May.
Officials did say a dog was trapped in the home but escaped.
Now, neighbors are doing what they can to support Starrett's family
"I just feel sorry for the loss of their child, and I know it's going to be rough on them," neighbor Kim Abrams said.
The state fire marshal is investigating the cause of the fire. Duke Energy was also on the scene. A GoFundMe page with over $30,000 in donations has been set up to help the family recover and help pay for funeral expenses, living expenses, and rebuilding expenses.
WCPO spoke to the organizer of the GoFundMe over the phone. The organizer said Starrett earned a merit scholarship to attend Miami University’s School of Engineering in the fall.
Family and friends described him as a fun-loving teenager who loved the science of engineering. He was also “big in the video gaming community.”
