3 men killed, teen hurt in North Little Rock blaze

Three men died and a teenager was hurt in an overnight house fire in North Little Rock, a fire official said.

The North Little Rock Fire Department responded shortly before 3 a.m. Wednesday to 5624 Alta Vista Drive, Fire Marshal Chief John Pflasterer said.

Pflasterer said three men died in the home, while a 17-year-old boy escaped the residence and was transported to Arkansas Children's Hospital in Little Rock. Pflasterer said the teen had minor injuries.

The deadly fire appears to have started on the back deck of the residence, he said.

The home was described as a "complete loss," with extensive smoke damage through the structure and fire damage in the attic and common areas.

Pflasterer reported Wednesday afternoon that officials were still on scene trying to identify the cause of the fire. Authorities did not have any reason to suspect the fire was due to arson, he said.

On Wednesday afternoon, North Little Rock police identified those killed as Royce Kerchner, 71; Chin Shan Wang, 60; and Hsiao Wen Wang, 34. Pflasterer said all the victims were related.

The investigation is ongoing, authorities said.

Metro on 04/19/2018