News

UPDATE: One dead in Elkhart house fire Saturday morning

Posted: 7:31 AM Dec 10, 2012
Reporter: Newscenter 16 staff

A Saturday morning fire in Elkhart has left one man dead.

Just after 8 a.m., the Elkhart Fire Department was called to the home of Dan and Connie Gagax in the 1300 block of Magnolia Avenue. When firefighters arrived, they found heavy smoke coming from the back of the one-story home.

According to our reporting partners at the Elkhart Truth, a neighbor to the enflamed home says Gaggax's mother-in-law, visiting from the Philippines, escaped from the home and knocked on Cuauhtemoc Santilla's door to explain Gagax was still in the home.

Santilla then went over to the home to try and save Gagax, trapped in the house, but said the smoke was too thick to see through. Firefighters arrived soon after.

According to the Elkhart Fire Department's release, between 75 and 80 percent of the home was damaged. Financial totals have not been tabulated.

The cause of the fire remains unknown.

Gagax's wife, Connie, was at work Saturday morning during the fire.