PIERCETON – A Pierceton man died in a house fire Tuesday morning near the Barbee Lake area in Kosciusko County. North Webster/Tippecanoe fire and EMS responded today at 9:07 a.m. to a residence at 7246 E. South Barbee Drive, Pierceton, in regards to a reported house fire, according to a press release from the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department. Firemen arrived and found a working fire at the residence, which is located near Big Barbee Lake. During the course of extinguishing the fire, firemen found the resident of the house, identified as Paul E. Rubenacker, 73, deceased. According to county records, the home is owned by John Rubenacker and Ronny Estrada of Joliet, Ill. At this time there is no evidence of foul play involved, Kosciusko County Coroner Anthony Ciriello stated. KCSD deputies and detectives were called to assist in investigating the death and processing the scene. The fire remains under investigation as there is no formal determination to the cause of the fire. The Kosciusko Coroner’s Office was assisted by North Webster, Pierceton and Winona Lake fire departments and the KCSD.
