Fire In Gary, Indiana Leaves 2 Dead
GARY, Ind. (CBS)-- A mystery surrounded a fire in Gary, Indiana that left two people dead early Sunday morning.
Investigators spent much of the morning and afternoon trying to figure what happened. And as CBS 2's Steven Graves found out, it has proved to be a tedious process.]
The Gary Fire Department responded to the structure fire at 7112 W. 5th Ave. just before 4 a.m. and found flames and smoke.
Officials said while conducting a search, they discovered one body, then another.
Neighbors said items piled up at the home over time, and the resident might have been a hoarder.
Hours later, a section of road was completely shut down as investigators dug for clues. The Lake County Coroner's office van remained in the front driveway for hours.
The sight of multiple Gary firefighters and police attracted neighbors.
"I don't know what to think," said Arturo Arce.
Arce lives right around the corner from the home where the fire broke out.
He said he didn't hear or see the crews responding around. But seeing the scene made him immediately think about the people who stay in the house.
"They've lived there for a long time in that house," Arce said.
CBS 2's cameras captured investigators sifting through debris in and around the front yard – an eyesore that Arce says got worse over time.
"It's always been like that," he said. Over the years, we've just seen hubcaps on the fences and stuff like that."
A "for sale" sign was one of the items that sat along the fence.
We called the number to learn more about the home, but no one answered.
Late Sunday, piles of rubble remain as investigators try to piece together what happened.
The answer might be buried among the debris.
The victims' identifications had not been released as of Sunday afternoon.