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PIERCETON - Two men died in a fire early this morning at a Pierceton mobile home park.
Albert Maples, 35, and David Gressley, 20, were pronounced dead at the scene of the 4:46 a.m. fire at Lot 16 in Regency Point Estates, 8280 U.S. 30E. Maples and Gressley were the occupants of the mobile home and were the only ones there when the fire broke out, authorities said.
Fire investigators were sifting through the debris this morning in an attempt to determine the origin and cause of the fatal fire.
Pierceton Fire Department Chief Gordon Baker said the mobile home was fully engulfed when firefighters arrived and crews were unable to attempt any rescue. Baker said firefighters were unsure on arrival at the scene whether anyone was in the mobile home and the bodies of the two men were not located until the fire was extinguished.
Larwill Fire Department assisted in battling the fire, which also damaged an unoccupied mobile home to the south of the Maples/Gressley residence. Damage to the primary fire structure is estimated at about $10,000 and the home is considered a total loss, Baker said. Fire damage to the neighboring home was minimal.
PFD is being assisted in the fire investigation by Squad 70 - the county's fire investigation team - and the State Fire Marshal's Office. A K-9 from Elkhart County also was being brought to the scene as part of the investigation. The dog is used to help sniff out the origin of fires. Officials did not speculate this morning whether the fire is suspicious in nature.
According to Kosciusko County Coroner Larry Ladd, the bodies of both men were taken to St. Joseph Medical Center, Fort Wayne, for autopsies to determine their causes of death.
The Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department is conducting the death investigation resulting from the fire.
