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How to help

Washington County Chapter of The American Red Cross:

Cash donations are needed to support the local Red Cross disaster fund, which has helped provide assistance to six families so far this month.

Any cash gifts intended specifically for the Hall family can be sent to: "Hall Family Fire Fund" c/o Riverview Credit Union, 403 Main St. Belpre, Ohio 45714.

The family is not in a position at this time to accept donations of furniture or appliances. Red Cross officials will take names and phone numbers from individuals who want to donate larger items and provide that information to recent fire victims who may call when they are ready to accept those gifts.

For more information: Red Cross: 373-0281.

Five people were transported to an area hospital, one with serious injuries, after escaping an early morning fire at their Burnett Road residence near Cutler in western Washington County, fire officials said Wednesday.

LouAnn Hall, 53, of 3375 Burnett Road, suffered a possible broken back after jumping approximately 20 feet to the ground from a bedroom window to escape the 1:45 a.m. fire, according to Barlow Volunteer Fire Chief Troy Eddleblute.

Hall was listed in good condition Wednesday afternoon at Marietta Memorial Hospital.

Hall lived at the home with her three adult children and the girlfriend of one of her children, many of whom also jumped from windows to escape the fire, but were not seriously injured, Eddleblute said.

Hall's children ranged in age from 24 to 18. The youngest, Luther, is a senior at Warren High School.

"One of the children was sleeping on a couch downstairs and awoke to the smell of smoke," Eddleblute said. "He yelled for everyone to get out and went out the front door. Everyone else was forced to jump from second-floor windows. One boy said he opened his door and it was just a ball of fire on the other side."

The two-story wood-framed home was completely gutted by the fire. The family had no insurance and lost everything but a laptop computer one of the children managed to escape with.

"One of her children indicated they had tried to purchase insurance, but they just couldn't afford it," Eddleblute said.

Jo Seyler, director of the Washington County Chapter of the American Red Cross, said the family is being assisted by the local agency. It is the fifth family this month the local agency has helped after fires. A sixth family was assisted when a recent windstorm blew a tree onto their home.

"It has been very busy here lately," Seyler said.

The Red Cross provides shelter and funds for immediate needs, such as food and clothing, after a disaster.

The Hall family is staying with other family members in the area, Seyler said.

The cause of the Wednesday fire remains under investigation, but fire officials said the extent of the damage will make pinpointing a cause difficult.

Firefighters said this was not the first time the family has been affected by fire.

On May 9, 2008, an early morning fire at a nearby residence claimed the life of 76-year-old Rosemary Hall, the grandmother to the children and mother-in-law of LouAnn Hall. She lived alone.

The state fire marshal's office said the cause the fatal fire listed as "undetermined" with no indication of foul play. The agency is also attempting to determine a cause of the Wednesday fire.

Eddleblute said the family was fortunate to escape. There was a smoke detector; however, it had not been tested recently and may not have been working, he said.

Seyler said the local agency responded to 25 incidents and provided service to 62 individuals in the past year.

She said many families in the area are without fire insurance. For many, she said, insurance is simply too expensive. According to the Ohio Insurance Institute, home owner's in rural areas are required to pay an average of $1,353 per year for coverage. The type and value of the home, its contents and other variables could increase or decrease the cost.

"It isn't uncommon," she said. "It's almost normal, especially if they rent or live in mobile homes."

Eddleblute said the home involved in the Wednesday fire was completely engulfed with firefighters arrived. Although there was a nearby water source, he said there was no way to save the home.

In addition to Barlow, firefighters and emergency squad members from the Dunham and Wesley volunteer fire departments responded to the blaze.