Authorities: Fatal Kokomo Fire Was Intentionally Set

KOKOMO, Ind. -- Investigators believe a fire that killed a woman and three children over the weekend was intentionally set, the Kokomo Police Department said Tuesday.

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Authorities: Fatal Kokomo Fire Was Intentionally Set

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Authorities didn't release information as to how the duplex fire was set. Kokomo Police Lt. Don Whitehead said investigators haven't identfied anyone as a suspect.

"There are a lot of people of interest that we want to talk to right now," Whitehead said.

Four people -- Amy Parrish, 25; her sons Dacota Rasmussen, 4, and Caleb Parrish, 2; and her stepson, Casey Parrish, 11 -- died of smoke inhalation during Sunday morning's fire at a duplex at 811 S. Bell St., according to the Howard County coroner's office.

Parrish's husband, Mike Parrish, 37, escaped the fire and was hospitalized with lacerations to an arm. He was later released.

Members of his family said he fell from a second-story window as he searched for a way to get the other four out.

Mike Parrish's stepbrother, Jerry Gibson, said Sunday he had heard that Amy Parrish woke her husband up and alerted him to the fire, and that she tried to collect the children while he looked for a way out.

The couple's 1-year-old daughter was staying elsewhere with a cousin at the time of the fire.

Officials said that in addition to recognizing signs that the fire was intentionally set, they were able to rule out accidental causes.

"(Investigators) said that the extension cords, the candles, smoking -- all things such as those have been ruled out," Kokomo Fire Chief Dave Duncan told RTV6's Ericka Flye.

Whitehead said investigators want to speak to several people.

"There's certainly people of interest that we want to talk to: anyone who was there -- Mr. Parrish, certainly, (because) he was the lone survivor of the fire -- (and) anybody else who visited the house, maybe the night before or the last couple of days," Whitehead said.

People with information about the fire can call fire department investigator Pat O'Neill at (765) 456-2038 or Kokomo police at (765) 864-5444. People also can make a tip anonymously and qualify for a cash reward by calling an arson hot line at (800) 382-4628.