Man who died in house fire identified

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - Officials identified the man who died after a house fire early Monday morning in the 700 block of Dewald Street in Fort Wayne.

Fire crews got on scene around 5:35 a.m. and found heavy smoke and flames billowing out of the back of the home.

Firefighters found John L. Shirey, 84, of Fort Wayne, on the first floor and got him out, but he was later pronounced dead at the scene. 

Official cause of death is thermal burns and smoke inhalation.

No one else was in the home or injured.  Officials say no pets were inside.

Alex Lupercio lives next door to the fire.  He originally thought his house was on fire.

"I woke up due to some noise and I looked out the window and I could smell something was burning," Lupercio said.  "So I looked out the window and saw all the lights from the fire trucks and I saw kind of like a red or orange blaze going on and so I got up right away and I just grabbed what was in reach and I woke up my brother and told him to get up and get out of here."

Lupercio, 23, was saddened when he heard the fire was fatal next door.  He said Shirey lived in the home by himself. 

"Every afternoon he would be out on his porch just looking over the neighborhood.  [He was] just a really nice guy.  Every time I would approach him, he'd be like 'Hello, how're you doing?'" Lupercio said.  "I still don't know what to think.  He's such a nice guy.  It's just tragic.  It's really sad."

Fire officials think the fire possibly started in the kitchen.  They do not suspect foul play.

Investigators are still working to find out what caused the fire.