BEECH GROVE, Ind. — A man was found dead in a Beech Grove home after an accidental fire over the weekend, the Indianapolis Fire Department said.
IFD crews were dispatched to the 100 block of South Sixth Avenue, near Churchman Avenue, early Sunday afternoon on a report of a cardiac arrest. There they found a 79-year-old man who was unresponsive and not breathing.
Crews saw signs that a fire had occurred in the house overnight and burned itself out.
Fire investigators believe the cause of the fire was unattended smoking material and ruled it accidental, IFD said. The cause of death is believed to be smoke inhalation, though a coroner's report is pending.
The man's identity was not shared by authorities but IFD said members of his family were at the house when firefighters arrived.
IFD said this marked the fourth fire fatality in their service district in 2021.