CROWN CITY — A woman who was injured in a fire that claimed the life of a 5-year old boy on Monday night is still recovering at a Huntington, W.Va., hospital.
Nina Johnson, 29, Crown City, is now listed in fair condition, according to Chris Koenig, communications manager at Cabell Huntington Hospital. Johnson suffered what were termed by Gallia County authorities as “smoke-related” injuries in the Monday evening fire in which her son, Isiah, died.
According to a press release issued by the Gallia County Sheriff’s Office, Johnson and her 6-year old daughter, Shayla, escaped from the burning mobile home located at 2520 Swan Creek Road, but Johnson was unable to rescue Isiah. Gallia County Coroner Dr. Dan Whiteley pronounced the boy dead at the scene.
Shayla Johnson was not injured.
According to information provided by administrators with the Gallia County Local School District, Isiah Johnson was a pre-school student at Guiding Hand School in Gallipolis. Shayla Johnson is a student at Hannan Trace Elementary School in Mercerville.
On Wednesday, Shane Cartmill, public information officer for the State Division of Fire Marshal, said that the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office had completed an autopsy of Isiah Johnson’s body, but the results will not be released until the investigation is completed.
Fire marshal’s investigators were back in Gallia County on Wednesday conducting interviews with witnesses to the fire, Cartmill said. He stated that investigators also want to speak with Nina Johnson, but are waiting for clearance from physicians before they do so.
Cartmill said investigators believe the fire originated somewhere near the center of the Johnson’s mobile home, but have not released the exact cause of the blaze which completely destroyed the mobile home.
Firefighters from District II and Harrison Township were called to the scene at 10 p.m. Monday. Gallia County EMS and deputies from the Gallia County Sheriff’s Office also responded.
An account to benefit the Johnson family has been established at People’s Bank on Third Avenue in Gallipolis. The account is in the name of Tanya Johnson, who is the sister-in-law of Nina Johnson.