A man was found dead inside a detached garage after a fire on Pearl Street in Columbus Thursday night, turning a routine call into a fatal scene in a quiet residential block.
Calls reporting the blaze in the 2300 block of Pearl Street came in shortly after 8 p.m., city officials said. Fire crews arrived and kept the flames from spreading beyond the garage, but the man inside did not survive. Authorities have not yet released his identity.
What Officials Say
According to the Columbus Fire Department - Indiana, officers were first called to the area after a report that a man had tried to get into a residence, then ran into a detached garage on the property.
As smoke and flames intensified, officers could not force open the garage door, the department said. Columbus firefighters later knocked down the fire and, during their search of the building, located a man deceased inside the garage. Officials noted that the fire damage was contained to the detached structure.
Who Is Investigating
The case is now in the hands of multiple agencies. Detectives from the Columbus Police Department, Columbus fire inspectors and the Bartholomew County Coroner’s Office are working together on the investigation, officials said.
Per the coroner’s office, coroners are responsible for investigating sudden, unexpected or suspicious deaths and often call on forensic pathologists, radiologists and toxicologists to help determine the cause and manner of death.
The Columbus Police Criminal Investigations Division notes that its detectives are assigned to death investigations and coordinate with county and state partners when major scenes unfold. The department lists its dispatch line at (812) 379-1689 and its front desk at (812) 376-2600.
Legal And Next Steps
At this early stage, no arrests or charges have been announced, and officials have not released additional details about what led up to the fire, according to the fire department’s statement.
The coroner’s office will decide whether an autopsy is needed to establish the cause and manner of death as the investigation moves forward. Detectives and fire investigators are expected to continue processing the scene and collecting evidence while they work to determine how the fire started and what exactly happened inside the garage.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the Columbus Police Department at (812) 376-2600 or dispatch at (812) 379-1689, according to the department’s public contact information. This story will be updated as officials release more details.
