AFTON – A fatal fire took the lives of three people Saturday night, including that of an 11-year-old boy, according to authorities, who said the blaze was first reported at approximately 11:36 p.m. in a mobile home located at 103 Warren Lane in the Town of Afton.

The fire was first reported by a neighbor, subsequently by a passerby who noticed flames through a window flickering within the home. Shortly thereafter, Afton volunteer fire fighters arrived on the scene to discover the structure completely engulfed in flames. Due to the fully involved fire, firefighters were unable to make an offensive act on the structure, according to authorities. With the assistance of the Bainbridge volunteer fire department, Afton firefighters were able to extinguish the fire in approximately 30 minutes.

An investigation into the blaze revealed the bodies of three people located in bedrooms inside the residence. The deceased were Craig A. Gohl, 11, Nathan J. Herbert, 45, and Anna M. Erbert, 54. The bodies were sent to Lourdes Hospital in Binghamton where autopsies determined the cause of all three deaths to be asphyxiation from smoke inhalation and carbon monoxide poisoning.

A further examination of the scene involving two investigators and a canine from the Fire Academy in Montour Falls revealed no accelerants. Following the investigating, authorities said they believed the source of the fire could be attributed to improperly discarded cigarette butts in the home’s living room. No smoke detectors were discovered in the home and witnesses did not hear any alarms sounding from within.