Community mourns pregnant woman, child who died in fire

A St. Joseph County community is mourning a pregnant woman and a 7-year-old boy who died in a fire that gutted a house where 11 people lived .

The Kalamazoo County medical examiner’s office confirmed Friday that the victims were 35-year-old Jessica Gould and Lonnie Ray Bingaman.

Caryle Hansen, who was at work at the time of the fire, said in a message to MLive.com her son Lonnie was a “beautiful angel.” He was a first-grader in the White Pigeon school district.

The cause of Tuesday’s fire in White Pigeon was under investigation and electrical issues were a possibility.

The victims were found on the second floor. Nine others, mostly children, got out. Seven were taken to a hospital for evaluation.  (AP)