Two residents died in a fire that struck this Hilliard Boulevard home early Sunday morning. (Photo by Larry Bennet)

Two die in Hilliard Blvd. fire
Space heater suspected as cause of blaze
By Kevin Kelley
Westlake
Published Jan. 10, 2007

Investigators believe a space heater likely caused a fire that killed two people in a Hilliard Boulevard home early Sunday morning.

Mark Sullivan, 57, and Debra Porter, 49, died from smoke inhalation, Westlake Fire Chief Richard Pietrick said.

A group of teens driving past the house near the Hilliard - Canterbury intersection around 1:30 Sunday morning saw flames shooting out of the house. They stopped, called 9-1-1 and broke a bedroom window in an attempt to rescue any individuals inside.

Pietrick told West Life the first call about the fire was received at 1:35 a.m. and the first fire engine arrived four minutes later.

Firefighters found the residence partially engulfed in flames and the remainder of the house filled with smoke. When they entered the house, the two residents were already dead.

Witnesses said flames were shooting out the windows as high as 12 feet.

Pietrick said there was evidence that candles were in the house, but investigators are leaning toward the space heater as the cause.

Fire units from Rocky River, Bay Village and North Olmsted assisted fighting the blaze, which was finally extinguished at around 2:30 a.m.

Pietrick said a non-working smoke detector was found just feet from where the woman’s body was found. He said the tragedy underscores the importance of having operating smoke detectors in residences.

The last fatal fire in Westlake occurred in March 2006. A Hedgewood Avenue woman, 70-year-old Beverly Ulmer, died following an explosion and fire at her residence.