Fire kills five despite house safety features

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- An off-campus house where five college students died in a fire on Sunday had at least six working smoke detectors and four fire extinguishers that worked but had not been used, an attorney for the owner said.\nThe fire killed two Ohio State students and three Ohio University students visiting from Athens, about 65 miles from Columbus. One student remained in critical condition Monday.\nThe cause of the fire won't be released until Tuesday, police said.\nRecords show that the house had passed its annual city inspection last April and was due for another inspection next month. NorthSteppe Realty manages the property for owner Michael Stickney of West Oakland Rentals.\n"We've done everything that we're supposed to have done to protect these children, and, yet, this still happens," said attorney Douglas Graff, who represents both companies. "If this was a purposefully set fire, which is what we believe, no place is safe enough. It could have happened anywhere."\nGraff said investigators asked questions about utilities, such as gas and electric lines. However, he said, they were more focused on the suspicious nature of the fire and the burn pattern.\nAuthorities say the tentative cause of death was smoke inhalation and carbon monoxide poisoning.\nInvestigators were trying to determine whether an argument during the party or alcohol were linked to the fire. Partygoers said there were at least four beer kegs and a dozen cases of beer at the house.\nVictims Alan Schlessman, 21, of Perkins Township near Sandusky and Kyle Raulin, 20, of West Chester both attended Ohio State and lived in the house.\nThe other three victims were visiting students from Ohio University: Andrea K. Dennis, 20, of Madeira, Erin M. DeMarco, 19, of Canton, and Christine Wilson, 19, of Dublin.