One Dead In Papakeechie Fire
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
SYRACUSE -ÊOne man was killed when a house exploded and burned near Papakeechie Lake Wednesday afternoon.
The man, whose name is being withheld by police until his family is notified, was identified only as a white male who was approximately 48 years old.
Around 1:40 p.m. Wednesday, the man was in a house at 9447 N. Koher Road, Syracuse, when it exploded. It is believed the man was renting the house.
The property is owned by James Jagel and Michael Janecek, of Chicago, neither of whom lived at the property.
The man inside the home was badly burned and officials from the coroner's office were examining dental records late this morning to determine the identity of the victim.
The cause of the explosion remains under investigation.
Police said the house contained evidence of an illegal methamphetamine lab, but could not say whether operation of the lab was the cause of the explosion.
The Syracuse, North Webster, Cromwell and Ligonier fire departments responded to the scene of the fire, and the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department and the Indiana State Fire Marshal are investigating the explosion and death.
The Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department, Kosciusko County Drug Task Force, Kosciusko County Coroner's Office, Indiana State Fire Marshal, Syracuse Fire Department and North Webster Fire Department are assisting with the investigation. [[In-content Ad]]
SYRACUSE -ÊOne man was killed when a house exploded and burned near Papakeechie Lake Wednesday afternoon.
The man, whose name is being withheld by police until his family is notified, was identified only as a white male who was approximately 48 years old.
Around 1:40 p.m. Wednesday, the man was in a house at 9447 N. Koher Road, Syracuse, when it exploded. It is believed the man was renting the house.
The property is owned by James Jagel and Michael Janecek, of Chicago, neither of whom lived at the property.
The man inside the home was badly burned and officials from the coroner's office were examining dental records late this morning to determine the identity of the victim.
The cause of the explosion remains under investigation.
Police said the house contained evidence of an illegal methamphetamine lab, but could not say whether operation of the lab was the cause of the explosion.
The Syracuse, North Webster, Cromwell and Ligonier fire departments responded to the scene of the fire, and the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department and the Indiana State Fire Marshal are investigating the explosion and death.
The Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department, Kosciusko County Drug Task Force, Kosciusko County Coroner's Office, Indiana State Fire Marshal, Syracuse Fire Department and North Webster Fire Department are assisting with the investigation. [[In-content Ad]]