A grandmother and a young boy died in a house fire early Tuesday morning in Blacklick, ABC 6 has learned.
The fire began after 2 a.m. at a home on Greylag Street, just a few blocks away from Licking Heights Elementary School.
Two girls, ages 10 and 12, got out of the house and ran to a neighbor's house for help, a fire spokesman said at about 6 a.m.
At noon, officials confirmed that the grandmother and the young boy were found dead next to each other in the home.
"Our hearts go out to them," said an emotional Bradford Shull, the Jefferson Township fire chief. "Anybody who has a matriarch or the patriarch of the family that fights to help other people get out ... It's a heartwrencher. We're here for them if they need us."
Shull said he believed the grandmother was trying to help the children escape to safety.
Neighbors said the fire spread quickly.
A neighbor who called 911 told ABC 6 what he saw:
"So wild, when I get out of the house, I dialed 911," Felix Morfaw said. "I was just screaming."
It's not clear yet what started the fire, but the chief said there's no reason to suspect foul play.