2 more bodies found at scene of Barclay Friends nursing home fire

Authorities announced Wednesday night that the remains of all four missing residents had been found at the scene of the five-alarm fire at the Barclay Friends nursing home in West Chester.

The discovery of two bodies on Wednesday followed the recovery of two other victims on Tuesday, the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives announced in a statement. The Chester County Coroner's Office transported the remains from the scene and the families of the four victims were notified by West Chester Police Chief Scott Bohn.

The remains of the four residents were found while investigators excavated the south wing of the two-story complex at 700 N. Franklin St. The fire is believed to have started in the south wing, authorities said.

The coroner's office was working to identify the remains.

"We hope with the recovery of the four victims these families can now start to heal and that we can provide some closure for them," said ATF Philadelphia Field Division Special Agent in Charge Donald Robinson.

The fire erupted about 10:45 p.m. last Thursday and raged for more than 2½ hours, leaving 27 residents injured. There were about 160 staff and residents at Barclay Friends when the fire broke out.

The missing residents included a married couple, an 89-year-old wife and 92-year-old husband, and two other women, ages 85 and 93. The names of the missing residents have not been made public.

Last week, Kenneth McGill of West Chester told the Inquirer and Daily News that he and his wife, Kathy, were waiting for word about Kathy's parents, residents of a unit for those with memory impairment. McGill declined to name his in-laws.