CINCINNATI — One woman and five children are dead, and a man is in the hospital after a house fire in Clinton County Tuesday morning, County EMA Director Thomas Breckel said.
Breckel told us firefighters were dispatched to a fire in the 100 block of Main Street in Clarksville at around 6:40 a.m. Tuesday. When they entered the house just five minutes later, crews found one man on the ground floor. That man was taken to Clinton Regional Hospital.
Firefighters attempted to reach the second floor, but Breckel said the stairs collapsed. When they were finally able to get there, they located one woman and four children dead in a second-floor bedroom.
Another child who officials suspected of being missing was also found dead, Breckel said.
We spoke with Pam Hauck, who is a close friend of the victims. She identified the family as father and mother, Tommy Allen and Brooke Gordon. The two were engaged and had five children together.
"My heart's broken, my heart's broken," Hauck said.
Learn more about the family members killed in the fatal fire here:
Hauck said the kids' names are Zayden, Hudson, Ashton, Bostyn and Tomlyn. The eldest was 10, and the youngest was only 9 months.
"Sweet as they can be, they all called me Nan, just like my grandkids. I was Nan," Hauck said. "I was amazed, Brooke never let being a mom of five overwhelm her, she amazed me, she really did."
Breckel said firefighters from across Warren and Clinton County responded to the fire Tuesday morning. Multiple firefighters were treated and released on scene after dealing with minor burns and electrical shock exposure. Four fighters were evaluated at the hospital and later released.
“It’s hard to imagine that your neighbor, someone your kids went to school with, died a few hours earlier," Breckel said.
We spoke with Justin Ballard, who drove by the scene on his way to work. He said the sight of smoke stopped him in his tracks.
“Honestly, I was just shocked. It was hard to take in — just not knowing who was in there, how many people were in there, if anyone was in there," Ballard said.
He saw two people trying to fight the fire with garden hoses as first responders made their way to the home.
"Unfortunately, the house was engulfed already," Ballard said.
Watch to see video from a witness of the deadly fire:
Ballard said this tragedy has rattled all of Clinton County.
"Everybody knows everybody, everybody's super close, everybody wants to help one another," Ballard said. "And when something like this happens, it's hard to really figure out how to help the family at all."
An official GoFundMe page has been started to support the sole survivor of the fire. Anyone wanting to donate can also contact any regional Fifth Third Bank and ask to donate to the Tommy Allen Benefit Account.
Hauck told us she is speaking on the family's behalf. If anyone has questions, she said, you can reach her through Facebook.
We also met a local hairdresser named Ashlee Irwin, who cut the boys' hair. She said she's used to being able to work with families for years.
"That was part of the devastation that I felt, of just like, you know, I don’t play a big role in people’s lives, but I just, it impacts my life a lot, the relationships that I get to build in this. It was just beginning with them, it felt like, and just it’s heartbreaking, really," Irwin said.
Now, she's doing what she can for the Allens. She has put up a special tip jar at her station and will be donating all her sales this coming Sunday to help.
“It’s hitting everyone very, very hard, and I think we’re all just trying to figure out what we can possibly do that would help," Irwin said.
You can read more about the community's fundraising efforts here.
Three of the deceased children were students at Clinton-Massie Local Schools, the district confirmed to WCPO Tuesday afternoon.
"This morning, our district became aware of a tragic house fire in our community. Authorities have confirmed the deaths of a mother, three of our students, as well as two other children," a statement from Clinton-Massie Local Schools reads. "This is devastating news for our school community. Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with the family's loved ones and all who are impacted.
Read the full Clinton-Massie Local Schools statement below:
This morning, our district became aware of a tragic house fire in our community. Authorities have confirmed the deaths of a mother, three of our students, as (well) as two other children..
This is devastating news for our school community. Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with the family’s loved ones and all who are impacted.
Out of respect for the family and to ensure accuracy, we will share only verified information and will not speculate beyond what has been confirmed. We will communicate promptly if additional confirmed information becomes available.
We know that tragedy affects not only families, but also classmates, staff members, and the broader community. Our schools are closely connected places, and moments like this are felt deeply by many.
We are working with our local crisis response team to ensure support is in place for students and staff. Additional counselors and mental health professionals will be available in our buildings starting tomorrow. We encourage any student, staff member, or family who needs support to reach out.
In times of grief, we lean on one another. Thank you for the care and compassion you show our students and one another each day.
