‘It could have been me;’ Dayton homeless community mourns those killed in massive fire

We are continuing to learn more about the five people who died in a massive fire in Dayton earlier this month.

The confirmation that most of the victims were homeless is prompting calls for housing help.

Due to the intense flames and damage, it took the coroner’s office almost three full weeks to identify the victims.

On March 8, flames swept through a vacant building on North Broadway Street.

>> PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Coroner’s office identifies 5 killed in massive Dayton house fire earlier this month

The former barber shop and living quarters were destroyed and the building was declared unstable and in need of emergency demolition.

Before that happened, firefighters and cadaver dogs identified potential people, and the recovery operation found five bodies.

Three women and two men were identified as those five people:

Andrew Miller, 30
Christopher Hermann, 41
Laura Sears, 37
Brittany Lee Alsup, 33
Chrisinda Jo Ray Freeman, 40

“It’s hard, it’s devastating. It obviously breaks our hearts, it impacts the community, it impacts us,” Taraisa Fecke said.

Fecke works at the House of Bread, a place that provides lunchtime meals for those facing food scarcity every day of the year.

She said she knew some of the people who died in the fire, including 33-year-old Alsup.

“She was quiet, soft spoken, she was nice, never bothered anyone,” Fecke said.

Belinda O’Rourke is currently homeless and put a memorial up for the victims even before they were identified. She remembered Fecke.

“When I heard she died, I was devastated, someone that young,” O’Rourke said.

The Montgomery County Coroner told News Center 7 that 90 percent of all death identifications are done by visual methods, while others use scientific methods like fingerprints or dental comparisons.

Fire deaths on the other hand are challenging and slow, often the coroner’s office needs a family member to tell them who the victim is believed to be. Then they can attempt to match comparisons and get samples from next of kin to confirm.

“It could have been me, being in there and not able to get out,” O’Rourke said.

O’Rourke explained how she and others who are homeless often have to resort to using “bandos” or abandoned buildings for shelter.

“I hope people realize these people are out here, they deserve help,” Fecke said.

The workers at the House of Bread and those that come there agreed the deadly fire prompts a conversation about housing solutions.

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