A tragic fire of undetermined origin claimed the life of a 3-year old child late December 29 in the Clarkrange area, and seriously injured a 29-year-old resident of the home.

According to reports, the 911 Dispatch Center received a call at 11:05 p.m. on Tuesday, December 29 concerning the house fire at 7000 S. York Hwy.

When the first emergency service providers arrived at the residence, located behind the Front Royal Trailer Park just off Hwy. 127, they found a 29-year-old mother and her three small children, who had made it out of the structure, which by that time was nearly engulfed in flames.

Authorities  learned that there was another child, a 3-year-old female, believed to still be in the burning structure.

As fire units battled the blaze, the mother and the three young children, ages 8, 6, and 4, were transported to Jamestown Regional Medical Center, from where the mother, identified as Randi McIntire Reppert, was airlifted to the Vanderbilt Burn Center, reportedly in serious condition.

The three children, who were less-seriously injured, were treated at the local hospital.

Later Wednesday morning, after firemen were able to extinguish the fire, the body of the 3-year-old child, identified as Savannah Puckett, was recovered from the burned-out structure by the emergency service providers.

It was also reported that the child’s mother, identified as Angela Puckett, was not at home at the time of the fire.

Reports also indicated that there was no electricity hooked up to the house at the time of the fire, that  a generator was being used for power, and that the residents were using candles to provide light. (FENTRESS COURIER)