More than six weeks after a Feb. 6 fire on Jefferson-Eagleville Road in Austinburg Township killed 24-year-old Joline "JoJo" Cooper and her two children, 4-year-old Celeste and 2-year-old Atreus, the grief in their family has hardened into anger. Marsha and Chris Cooper say they were stunned to learn their loved ones had been living in what they describe as a barn-style unit, one they say lacked basic safety features. Relatives and neighbors are now pressing Ashtabula County officials for answers while investigators try to sort out what went wrong.
Fire and first response
The blaze tore through a former barn that had been partially converted into living units. The first 911 call came in at about 7:30 a.m., and firefighters reported heavy flames when they arrived. With no hydrants on the rural road, mutual-aid tankers from nearly a dozen departments were called in to haul water. Crews said the structure ultimately collapsed as they worked to keep the fire from spreading to nearby buildings, according to Cleveland 19 (WOIO).
Family raises questions about permits and safety
The Coopers told reporters they want to know how anyone ended up living in what they describe as a barn-style apartment in the first place. The Ashtabula County Building Department said it has no records of a building permit, a certificate of occupancy, or any code complaints tied to an apartment at the property. Family photos, relatives say, show bare barn flooring and what they describe as improvised wiring. "Nobody should have been living there," Marsha Cooper said in an interview with News 5 Cleveland.
Investigation and legal status
Investigators from the State Fire Marshal's Office were called to the scene, and officials have not yet released an official cause of the fire while the probe continues, according to local reporting. The Ashtabula County Sheriff’s Office and the county prosecutor told News 5 Cleveland that "there do not appear to be any charges coming in this case at this time." Authorities say it could take weeks of work on the collapsed structure and paperwork before they can issue a definitive ruling.
What the code requires
Under Ohio law, a structure that is converted into dwelling units is generally required to comply with the Ohio Building Code and to be documented with permits and certificates of occupancy. Local building departments are responsible for keeping records of inspections and approvals. The rules for issuing and maintaining those permits and certificates are laid out in the Ohio Administrative Code, which governs how building officials track and store those files. Families seeking clarity about the status of a unit can request permit and occupancy records from the county office that has jurisdiction.
Family still waiting
In the meantime, the Coopers are mourning and pushing for a clear public explanation. They say they want accountability and a detailed accounting of how a residential unit could be occupied with no clear permitting records on file. County officials say the investigation remains open and that it will take time before any final conclusions are made public.
