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Victims in deadly W.Va. fire identified

April 17, 2009|By MATTHEW UMSTEAD

HEDGESVILLE, W.Va. -- Authorities have identified the 3-year-old Berkeley County, W.Va., boy who died Friday afternoon in a mobile home fire near Hedgesville as Shawn Thomas Fishburn of 1717 Allensville Road.

His father, Thomas Robert Fishburn, 24, of the same address, was being treated at the Washington (D.C.) Hospital Center for second- and third-degree burns to more than 50 percent of his body, according to a press release from West Virginia State Police First Sgt. E.D. Burnett.

Thomas Fishburn was in serious condition Saturday afternoon at the hospital, a hospital spokeswoman said.

Burnett said the fire remains under investigation by the West Virginia State Fire Marshal's office. An investigator with the office arrived at the scene Friday at 8:50 p.m. and Burnett said the investigation resumed Saturday morning.

The boy was found dead in the living room area of the home. His cause of death has not been confirmed by the West Virginia Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Charleston, W.Va.

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The child's mother was not home when the fire was reported just after 3 p.m., authorities have said.

A family friend said Friday the boy's father was pulled from the burning home by her son, but he couldn't find the child.

West Virginia State Police activated its crime scene team to assist with the investigation, Burnett said.

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