Investigators: Fatal Winner fire accidental [The Daily Republic, Mitchell, S.D.]

Jan. 07--WINNER -- State fire marshal investigators have ruled the house fire that took the life of 2-year-old Trayvin Debolt on Dec. 3 in Winner as accidental.

Fire Marshal Paul Merriman said Friday that the investigation of the fire had been completed and the cause had been deemed an accident, not arson.

Merriman said the exact cause of the fire is not yet determined. No explanation was given for the length of the investigation.

The fire, which resulted in the death of Trayvin Debolt and left his brother, 3-year-old Sampson Debolt, in a Minneapolis burn center with non-life threatening injuries, drew an outpouring of support from the surrounding community.

Donation funds have been set up and various supplies have been donated to help the Debolt family, which lost virtually everything in the fire.

The recovery fund was set up at both First Fidelity Bank and Wells Fargo Bank, both in Winner, and drop-off points for other types of donations have been set up at American Family Insurance and State Farm Insurance, also in Winner.

Firefighters with the Winner Volunteer Fire Department were the first on the scene of the fire, arriving around 1:45 a.m.Dec. 3.

Winner Fire Chief Walter Halter said last month the house was engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived.

The fire was under control in less than 30 minutes, but firefighters were unable to save the 2-year-old child or the house.

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