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Investigation into tragic house fire continues
FORT SCOTT, Kan. -- A house fire that occurred Thursday night on Grand Road just south of Fort Scott is under investigation, local authorities said Friday.
According to a news release from the Bourbon County Sheriff's Office, the Scott Township Fire Department and the Fort Scott Fire Department were dispatched about 10 p.m., Friday, to a structure fire at a residence located at 2166 Grand Road.
Members of the Kansas Highway Patrol and the Bourbon County Sheriff's Office also responded to the scene.
Once on scene, the male resident of the home, Brent A. Bollinger, 25, was found with burn injuries and transported to Mercy Health Center and later flown to a Kansas City area hospital. A second victim, Bryson D. Bollinger, 2, was also found with burns and transported to Mercy Health Center. Bryson Bollinger was then transferred to Children's Mercy in Kansas City and then to Shriners Children's Hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio.
University of Kansas Hospital spokesman Dennis McCulloch said he could neither confirm nor deny that Brent Bollinger was at the hospital. Bryson Bollinger was listed in critical condition at Shriners, a spokeswoman said.
A deceased person, who has not yet been identified, was also found inside the home. Bourbon County Undersheriff Bill Martin said the cause of death would be determined by an autopsy.
Fort Scott Fire Chief Paul Ballou said he could not comment on the incident. The Fort Scott Police Department directed inquiries on Friday to the Bourbon County Sheriff's Office.
Martin said the cause of the fire is currently being investigated. He said the body found inside the home has not yet been identified and the cause of death would be determined by an autopsy.
Martin said firefighters had the blaze under control by the time he arrived on the scene about 11 p.m. Thursday.
The Kansas Bureau of Investigation and the Kansas State Fire Marshal were contacted for assistance in trying to determine the cause of the fire and the victim was sent to Kansas City for the autopsy.
The incident is still under investigation at this time, the release said.
Rose Rozmiarek, chief of investigations for the Kansas State Fire Marshal's Office, said there are three agents in total from the marshal's office working on the case. She said the identity of the deceased person will not be released until an autopsy is completed.
"We're really still early into the investigation," Rozmiarek said.