Tuesday fire claims life
Published Thursday, February 25, 2010
AHOSKIE – The Ahoskie Police and the SBI are investigating the cause of a Tuesday night residential fire that ended tragically.
The body of Larry Douglas Ward, 60, was discovered inside his home at 322 North Catherine Street.
According to Ahoskie Police Lt. Detective Jeremy Roberts, the body, after being taken to Roanoke-Chowan Hospital, was transported to Greenville on Wednesday for an autopsy at Pitt County Memorial Hospital. Roberts said he is expecting the results of that autopsy by the end of this week.
Roberts added that, following protocol dealing with a fatal fire, the SBI was summoned for assistance in the investigation.
“We went back inside the home on Wednesday morning after the hot spots of the fire had cooled down,” Roberts said.
Thus far, the investigation has revealed that Ward lived alone.
“We don’t know if there were any visitors in the house prior to the fire…to our knowledge he was home alone at the time of the fire,” Roberts said.
Firefighters and other emergency responders were summoned to the scene (on the block between First Street and Hayes Street) at 7:31 p.m. by an Ahoskie Police officer who was on routine patrol in that area. That officer reported heavy smoke coming from the residence.
Both the Ahoskie City and Ahoskie Rural fire departments responded, sending a combined 18 personnel and four units to the scene. Winton Fire Department also responded with two units and 10 members.
The fire also spread to an adjoining apartment (320 North Catherine Street). Lt. Roberts said that part of the residence was unoccupied.
Ahoskie firefighters cleared the scene just before midnight. For security reasons, the Ahoskie Police Department kept one officer at the scene overnight.
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