DARKE COUNTY — A man is dead after a house fire in Darke County Saturday evening, according to Darke County Sheriff Mark Whittaker.
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As reported on News Center 7 at 11:00, the fire occurred in the 140 block of Jefferson Street in the Village of New Madison around 4:45 p.m.
>>PHOTOS: Man dead after house fire in Darke County
Scott and Candy Null said they have lived next to the victim’s home for 30 years.
The pair was sitting in their garage just before 5 p.m. on Saturday.
Candy said that’s usually around the time she sees her neighbor.
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“I looked out back so I could watch for him to talk to him. Then I looked up and seen smoke coming out of the chimney and around the chimney. That’s when I started screaming for him to call 911,” Candy said.
Candy went closer to the home to see if her neighbor was inside.
“I went around to the back porch door. I opened it and smoke came out,” she said.
The pair said the man often kept to himself.
But when he did come out, it was to go to his favorite local restaurant.
“He loved to go to Snoopy’s. 4:30, 5 o’clock, I always looked for him,” Candy said.
Scott said the fire departments started showing up minutes after he called for help.
“Thank God they got here in time before it could spread. They worked really fast, and they were running,” he said.
Darke County Sheriff Mark Whittaker confirmed to News Center 7 crews that a man died.
“(Firefighters) removed an adult male at the home. He was found deceased. We believe as a result of the fire,” Whittaker said.
Authorities believe the man was the only resident of the home.
No one else was injured in this fire, according to Whittaker.
Darke County Sheriff’s detectives and the State Fire Marshal’s Office are working to figure out the cause of this fire.
Whittaker said the victim was transported to the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office for a forensic exam and testing.
The victim’s identity was not immediately available.
News Center 7 will continue to follow this story.
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