Body discovered days after Delaware fire

December 18, 2012
  • <p><p>(John Jankowski/for NewsWorks)</p></p>

    <p>(John Jankowski/for NewsWorks)</p>

  • <p><p>(John Jankowksi/for NewsWorks)</p></p>

    <p>(John Jankowksi/for NewsWorks)</p>

  • <p><p>Investigators stand among the rubble of the the W. 5th Street house that partially-collapsed during a fire on December 13. (John Jankowski/for NewsWorks)</p></p>

    <p>Investigators stand among the rubble of the the W. 5th Street house that partially-collapsed during a fire on December 13. (John Jankowski/for NewsWorks)</p>

  • <p><p>The fire broke out around 8:30 p.m. on December 13.  Fire investigators discovered a body beneath the rubble while investigating the cause on December 17. (John Jankowksi/for NewsWorks)</p></p>

    <p>The fire broke out around 8:30 p.m. on December 13.  Fire investigators discovered a body beneath the rubble while investigating the cause on December 17. (John Jankowksi/for NewsWorks)</p>

  • <p><p>Investigators on the scene after the fire-damaged building which partially collapsed during the fire has been torn down. (John Jankowski/for NewsWorks)</p></p>

    <p>Investigators on the scene after the fire-damaged building which partially collapsed during the fire has been torn down. (John Jankowski/for NewsWorks)</p>

  • <p><p>Police are trying to identify the man whose body they found beneath the rubble of this burned out home on W. 5th Street in Wilmington. (John Jankowski/for NewsWorks)</p></p>

    <p>Police are trying to identify the man whose body they found beneath the rubble of this burned out home on W. 5th Street in Wilmington. (John Jankowski/for NewsWorks)</p>

  • <p><p>Fire investigators found a body buried the beneath the rubble after extinguishing this fire on W. 5th Street in Wilmington. (John Jankowski/for NewsWorks)</p></p>

    <p>Fire investigators found a body buried the beneath the rubble after extinguishing this fire on W. 5th Street in Wilmington. (John Jankowski/for NewsWorks)</p>

Fire investigators discovered a body buried beneath the rubble of a burned out house in Wilmington four days after the fire had been extinguished.

 

The fire at an abandoned building at 505 W. 5th Street broke out around 8:30 p.m on Thursday, December 13.  While firefighters battled the blaze, a portion of the building partially collapsed causing heavy damage to the rest of the structure.

Investigators with the State Fire Marshal’s Office were trying to determine the cause of the blaze on Monday, December 17, when they discovered a body that had been buried beneath the rubble.  Wilmington Police have now joined the investigation in an effort to identify the victim.

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So far, there are no obvious signs of foul play.  The cause of the unidentified man’s death and the cause of the fire are still unknown.

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