On December 18, 2025, at approximately 3:40 a.m., an Izard County Deputy discovered a house fire near the 5000 block of Arkansas Highway 56 in Violet Hill. The Franklin Fire Department, with assistance from the Melbourne Fire Department, was dispatched to battle the blaze.
Deputies were able to confirm that the occupants of the residence were believed to be home at the time of the fire. Once the fire was brought under control, the bodies of two individuals were located inside the residence.
An investigation into the cause and orgin of the fire is underway.
The bodies will be transported to the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory for positive identification and to determine the cause of death. The names of the deceased are being withheld at this time pending positive identification and notification of next of kin.