UPDATE: Fatal Butte Fire Determined to be Cooking Related

UPDATE: The State Medical Examiner’s Office positively identified the five  children who perished in the early morning blaze as, “Alexis Quakenbush, 12, Nevaeh Flores, 8, Lilyanna Flores, 7, Sofia Flores, 6, Jaelynn Flores, 3, all of Palmer,” AST revealed. Megan Peters of the Department of Public Safety, went on to report, “All children died as a result of smoke inhalation. Next of kin has been notified. Through investigation by the State Fire Marshal’s Office and Alaska State Troopers, the fire was determined to be accidental. The cause of the fire was determined to be cooking-related.  No foul play is suspected.”

ORIGINAL: Alaska State Troopers have revealed that the remains of five children have been retrieved from a mobile home fire that occurred  early Thursday morning.

The fire, which was reported just prior to 7 am this morning prompted troopers and the Alaska Fire Marshal’s office to respond to the Wickham location in Butte.

Responders initially confirmed three fatalities, but a short time later, two more victims of the blaze were recovered. Troopers report that all the victims were female, aging from three to 12.

It has not been divulged by investigators if any adults were on the property or nearby.

The remains of the five children have been transferred to the State Medical Examiner’s office in Anchorage for autopsy and positive identification.[xyz-ihs snippet=”Adsense-responsive”]