Authorities: 2 People dead after house fire in Concord Township

ELKHART COUNTY, Ind. -- A Sunday morning house fire in Concord Township left two people dead and investigators searching for answers.

It was just after 5:15 a.m. Sunday along the 22000 block of County Road 45 in Concord Township, between Fenmore and Missouri Avenues.

“The first arriving engine company that arrived on scene shortly thereafter reported heavy fire on all four sides of the structure, as well as through the roof,” said Richard Rochford, the Concord Township Fire Chief.

The road was quickly shut down and dozens of firefighters spent close to 45 minutes putting the fire out.

What’s left is a burnt up shell of a home.

Investigators combed through every inch of the debris after two bodies were discovered inside Sunday.

It’s not yet known what caused the fire, or where it started, but a member of the Elkhart County Homicide Unit said the victims were found in a bedroom and the kitchen.

“Any fire that we deal with is dealing with complex – it’s just basically the nature of the beast,” Chief Rochford said. “It was relatively very cold. We had some issues as far as some hose lines freezing up, but that didn’t deter us from actually going in and getting this fire knocked down.”

At least five area departments responded to fight the fire.

Neighbors said they hadn’t heard or seen anything until crews were already at the home, but two neighbors said an older couple who kept to themselves and were described as ‘pleasant’ lived there, and their adult son may have too.

Autopsies of the victims are scheduled to take place on Monday.