Cause of Death in Powell Fire Determined
Written by Andrew-Rossi on January 10, 2018
The victim and cause of death from a fatal fire outside of Powell Saturday have been identified.
An autopsy on Monday determined that the victim of the house fire, 67 year old Eddie Clayton Downer, died from smoke inhalation. The Powell Tribune reports that a faulty electrical outlet is thought to be responsible.
Powell Fire Chief Damian Dicks told the Tribune that a neighbor reported the fire, which had completely engulfed the house on Road 13 by the time firefighters arrived, around 9:30 Saturday evening. Sam Wilde, who was the initial investigator on scene, says that the structure burned so completely that it was difficult for fire crews to attack.
The state fire inspector determined the blaze was caused by a portable space heater plugged into a faulty electrical outlet. Chief Dicks pointed out that no smoke detectors were found in the home, which may have changed the outcome had they been installed.
