Victim of deadly Warsaw house fire identified

By: NewsCenter 16 Staff Email

Updated: Wed 9:32 AM, Jan 30, 2013

The victim of a house fire that happened in Kosciusko County exactly one week ago, has been identified.

The blaze broke out last Wednesday just before 10:30 a.m. in the 2100 block of Chapman Lake Drive in Warsaw. It took crews several hours to put out the flames, which started spreading to a home next door.

Officials say 65 year old Stephen T. Hall died from smoke inhalation and thermal burns. Two other people inside the home escaped without injury and called for help.

Investigators believe the fire started in the basement. After doing several interviews, they believe Hall had set up a portable heater the night before in the basement to thaw out frozen water lines. Evidence at the scene indicates that the blaze broke out near that area.