MONAVILLE — A house fire which claimed the lives of a three children and two adults has now been classified as “suspicious” by the state fire marshal’s office.

The house fire at Monaville which occurred early the morning of January 31 resulted in the deaths of Melinda Dailey, her sons, Randy and Trey and her daughter, Katelyn, and Melinda Dailey’s boyfriend, Dwayne Ellis.

State Fire Marshal Paul Gill and a team of fire marshals, including an investigator from the Division of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, were on site until Friday night combing through the burned rubble of the home collecting evidence and clues to what may have caused the fire. No cause has been released yet, but a press release issued today by the State Fire Marshal’s Office in Charleston said the fire is now being investigated as a possible arson.

“The fire which occurred on January 31, 2009, in Monaville, Logan County, that killed three children and two adults is suspicious,” the release said. “Through a lengthy investigation involving several agencies, the fire is being investigated as a possible arson. All identifiable accidental causes have been eliminated.

“This join investigation involves the West Virginia State Fire Marshal’s Office, the West Virginia State Police and the Logan Fire Department. Approximately 30 individuals have been interviewed by investigators. A substantial amount of intelligence regarding illegal drug activity has been generated and turned over to the Logan County Drug Task Force. However, little information has been forthcoming concerning this fire.”

The release said a reward of $2,500 is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the responsible individual or individuals.

The toll-free number for the State Fire Marshal’s Hotline is 1-800-233-3473.

“You can remain anonymous,” the release said. “We need your information.”

A report on www.wsaz.com said a fire chief at the scene said there were no working smoke detectors in the home. A source at the scene said that all the bodies were found on the first floor near the front of the house.

A resident of the area who was on the scene the morning of the fire said he estimated the old coal camp boss’s house, which was later owned by Carlos Lopes, could have been built in the early 1900s and was at least 60 years old.

State Fire Marshal Paul Gill said he estimated the house to be at least 85 years old.

The call to Logan firefighters came in at 5:03 a.m. Thursday and, according to Logan Fire Chief Scott Beckett, the house had fire venting from the roof by the time his crews and the Main Island Creek Fire Department firemen arrived on the scene.

“When we got there, fire was venting through the roof and the front,” Beckett said Thursday morning as he and the firefighters were leaving the scene. “It was about 30 minutes into the fire before we could confirm anyone was in there. Due to the magnitude of the fire, they were gone before we got here. I’ve been doing this for 20 years and this is the worst set of fatalities I’ve seen.”

Timothy Meade, who identified himself as the cousin of Ellis, said Ellis had moved in with Melinda Daley a month ago. He said Daley and her three children had moved there in August of 2008.

Meade said he was brought cigarettes to Ellis at the house just a few hours before the fire killed all five occupants.

Several City of Logan firefighters and firemen from the Main Island Creek Fire Department worked to extinguish the fire.

State Route 44 was shut down for nearly two hours.

The West Virginia State Police is also assisting with the investigation. WVSP Trooper C.W. Seacrist is the investigating officer.