Southeast Side couple, child found dead in house explosion

An explosion and flash fire killed a man and woman and their youngest child in their Southeast Side house Wednesday evening, the Columbus Division of Fire said.

The identities of the two adults and the child found in the house in the 3300 block of Retriever Road were not being released late Wednesday night.

The child was believed to be between 18 months and 4 years old. The couple’s two older children were visiting others and not in the house when the explosion occurred, said Battalion Chief Steve Martin.

Columbus Fire was called at 7:25 p.m. to the house on Retriever Road, which is off

Chatterton Road.

Martin said firefighters were on the scene within five minutes and able to knock down the fire.

The east side of the house was blown out by the force of the explosion. Windows were broken, and the garage door also was blown out. It appeared that the flames shot through the second floor and the roof.

The bodies of the couple were found within 15 minutes, but it took firefighters

more than 90 minutes to find the child’s body, Martin said.

Martin said the Columbus police homicide unit was called in to help with the investigation.

The explosion appeared to have originated in the kitchen area toward the back of the house, Martin said.

Jerry Willey, 73, lives next door and said he also thinks the explosion and fire came from the kitchen area.

Willey was sitting in his living room when a “boom” caused everything in his house to shake.

“I looked out and I saw flames shooting out 6 feet out the back window,” Willey said.