Five people escaped their burning home Saturday morning after an SUV slammed into the house on State Route 31 in Union County, and a passenger in the vehicle was flown to a Columbus hospital with serious injuries, the Ohio State Highway Patrol said.
The crash happened Saturday, November 7, when Kiara Lowry, 18, of Richwood, was driving a 2019 Chevrolet Equinox north on State Route 31 and swerved to avoid a deer in the road, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol. The patrol’s account was reported by WHIO and by Marysville Matters, which published the patrol’s release.
The SUV went off the right side of the roadway and struck the home at 34272 State Route 31, the Highway Patrol said. Both the SUV and the house became fully engulfed in flames, and the patrol said both were a total loss.
All five people inside the home got out on their own, according to the Highway Patrol. One resident sustained minor injuries and was treated at the scene. No other injuries inside the home were reported.
Northwestern EMS took Lowry to Memorial Hospital for minor injuries, the patrol said. Her passenger, whose name was not released, was flown by MedFlight to Ohio State University Medical Center with serious injuries.
The Southeastern Hardin Fire Department led the firefighting response, and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency also responded to assist, according to the Highway Patrol. Responders also included the Union County Sheriff’s Office, Northwestern Fire and EMS, North Union Fire and EMS, the Marysville Fire Department, emergency management personnel, 24/7 Towing and Recovery, and the American Red Cross.
The Highway Patrol found Lowry at fault for failure to control and said no other contributing factors are being investigated. The patrol did not release a time for the crash beyond saying it happened Saturday morning.
The Red Cross response means help is available to the five residents displaced by the fire. NewsForce247 will update this story if the patrol releases the passenger’s name or condition, or if officials release more information about assistance for the family that lost its home.