OPP investigating fire at Harrow home where family of four slain

Article content

Ontario Provincial Police are investigating a Harrow fire that broke out Monday night at the former home of a family of four found slain last summer.

OPP would not comment on this week’s fire or the police investigation. But speaking to the Star Tuesday, Essex Mayor Sherry Bondy confirmed the house was that of Carly Stannard-Walsh, her husband Steven Walsh, and their children Madison, 13, and Hunter, 8.

Article content

All four were found dead last June 20. Police investigators concluded Carly and the children were killed by gunshots while the husband and father died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Officials on Tuesday would only say an investigation was launched into a “suspicious” house fire that broke out in the 1200 block of County Road 13 (Erie Road) at around 10:20 p.m. on Monday night.

A total of 25 firefighters from two stations responded to find the home fully engulfed, with flames shooting through the roof, said Essex Fire and Rescue Services Chief Jason Pillon.

Officials said the structure on Erie Road was unoccupied at the time and no injuries were reported. Pillion said Tuesday the fire was deemed suspicious and that investigators had not yet determined a damage estimate.

In a media release Tuesday evening, the OPP said its crime unit and forensic identification services were called to the scene to investigate. The Ontario Fire Marshal’s office was also notified.

Asked for further comment, an OPP spokesperson referred the Star to a media release. That statement advised that all resources had since cleared the scene.

Share this article in your social network