Staff Reports
VEVAY — The six victims of Saturday’s fatal house fire in rural Switzerland County have been identified following autopsies conducted Sunday morning in Madison.
The Switzerland County Coroner’s Office has identified the six deceased victims as Paige A. M. Ridener, 25, James S. Ridener, 15, Jordan T. Ridener, 13, Joshua A. Ridener, 12, Emilee A. Ridener, 11, and Elizabeth G. Ridener, 10.
All six victims were siblings, the state police said. The five youngest siblings lived at the residence while Paige Ridener had recently been staying at the home, state police said.
Joseph Buchheit, 33, who was the boyfriend of Paige Ridener, was also at the residence when the fire started shortly after 3 a.m. on Saturday, state police said. Buchheit escaped the home without injury. He attempted to re-enter the home to get to the six victims but was unable to due to the heavy fire and smoke.
The investigation by the Indiana State Police, Indiana State Fire Marshal’s Office, and Switzerland County Coroner’s Office is ongoing at this time.
The cause of the fire and the cause of the deaths has not been determined yet although no foul play is suspected at this time.
