– Photo courtesy of the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office.
The Carroll County Sheriff’s Office released additional information regarding a structure fire in Delphi that resulted in the fatality of the homeowner and the hospitalization of a neighbor.
On Tuesday, July 2 just before 4 p.m., Carroll County Dispatch reportedly received a 911 call with a report of a structure fire at 1296 Smith Ave. in Delphi, which led to the dispatch of the Delphi Fire Department. Firefighters arrived on the scene where flames were visible at the northwest corner of the residence, and the commanding officer was notified that the homeowner was trapped within the residence, police report.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, a neighbor attempted to rescue the homeowner, later identified as Don Alderman, 74, unsuccessfully prior to the arrival of the fire department, which led the Delphi Fire Department and Carroll County Sheriff’s Office to attempt a rescue of Alderman, which also proved unsuccessful.
Upon the extinguishing of the fire, investigators were reportedly able to locate and remove Alderman from the residence, and he was pronounced deceased at the scene. The department stated that an autopsy will be performed at a later date.
Deputies reported that the neighbor was airlifted to a trauma center due to smoke inhalation, and her condition is unknown as of Wednesday, July 3 at 2 p.m. The fire remains under investigation as investigators attempt to uncover the cause of the fire.
The Delphi Fire Department saw assistance in the incident from the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, Delphi Police Department, Camden Fire Department, Flora Fire Department, Rockfield Fire Department, Burrows Fire Department, Carroll County EMS, Carroll County EMA, Carroll County Coroner, Carroll County Dispatch, NIPSCO and Duke Energy.