Fire claims life of a young man
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By BETH ZUMWALT
An early morning fire at a house on Mechanic Street claimed the life of Christian McCombs, 30, Thursday morning.
“We got the call at 1:57 a.m.,” Fred Andrews, fire chief, said. “I was first on the scene. The house was a two story house with a single story addition built on the back that held the kitchen.”
Andrews said he believed the fire started in the kitchen.
Neighbors advised Andrews that they believed there was a male in the house.
“They said the female resident was out of town for business and the boy was staying elsewhere,” Andrews said.
Andrews said he tried to get in the back door, but the flames were too bad and he ran around to the front which was locked and it was very smokey. A concentrated effort to gain entry was made and the firefighters gained access to the house.
“Once we got into the house, we quickly found the victim, he was in the living room, at the front of the house,” Andrews said. “We got him out and he was taken to Jacksonville Memorial Hospital.”
McCombs was pronounced dead at 3:32 a.m. by the Morgan County Coroner.
Andrews said he believes the fire started in the kitchen, in the single story portion of the house.
“The fire got into the wall between the single story and second story additions,” he said. “It went right up the wall to the attic.”
Andrews said the second floor collapsed during the fire and he deemed the house a total loss.
Andrews said he had been a member of the Winchester Fire Department for 30 years.
“We had a fatal fire the first year, I was on,” he said. “This is my second. Some of my guys are taking it hard. One of the firefighters worked with McCombs at PrairieLand FS. “
The cause of the fire is undetermined at this time.
Funeral services for McCombs will be held Friday, Feb.16 at the Worthington Funeral Home in Rushville. Visitation will be the evening before the services.
