Pastor, 55, dies in early morning house fire while trying to save his trapped sons

An Ohio family is mourning after a father and two sons were killed in an early morning house fire Tuesday.

Mark Robinette, 55, along with his 10-year-old son Liam and 17-year-old Gideon, died in the blaze.

The fire reportedly broke out around 12:30 a.m. Tuesday morning at the family’s home in rural Pickaway County.

Mike Comer, Robinette’s cousin, said Robinette was able to get his wife and two of their sleeping children to safety.

The 55-year-old, who was a pastor and a missionary, then ran back into the family’s home to save Gideon and Liam.

“He went back to get two of his boys and didn’t make it out,” Comer said. “She watched the house burn to the ground.”

According to a GoFundMe set up for the surviving members of the family, the Robinettes lost everything.

“Their house and all of their belongings were completely destroyed, and it is the dead of winter. They are left with the night clothes they were wearing and their vehicle and that is all.”

While officials don’t suspect foul play was involved, the cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Our heart breaks for the Robinette family. We can’t even begin to imagine the intense emotions they are surely enduring as they cope with the loss of not only their home, but three members of their family.