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Fire deaths raise questions

Four precious little children died in a house fire Saturday night in Clay County, W.Va. They ranged in age from 6 months to 8 years.

Their deaths raise troubling questions about West Virginia’s protection of children placed with foster families.

All four of the little ones were staying with a couple serving as foster parents. A fifth foster child was rescued from the flames.

State officials have rigorous standards in place for foster homes. Among them is that such residences must have smoke detectors. Periodic inspections are conducted by Department of Health and Human Resources personnel to ensure the detectors are in place and working. The status of smoke detectors at the Clay County home was uncertain, the Charleston Gazette-Mail reported.

Tragedies such as that Saturday night sometimes are not preventable. Such may well have been the case this time.

But the deaths of four children in a foster home are a clear indicator that the DHHR should review its rules — and their enforcement — regarding such situations.

The drug abuse crisis wracking our state has resulted in an enormous increase in the number of children who have to be taken from their parents and placed either in foster homes or with relatives. That places a greater burden on the DHHR to find foster homes where little ones can be safe and thrive.

Are the safety rules adequate? Are foster homes being monitored properly?

For one reason or another, the home in Clay County was not safe enough. The deaths of four children there make that plain.

State officials now should determine what went wrong — and whether it was preventable. The lives of other foster children may depend on such an investigation being conducted thoroughly, objectively and quickly.

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