Saturday Morning Fire Under Investigation

 
 

An investigator from the state fire marshal’s office will be in Starke County today to determine the origin and cause of a Saturday morning house fire. The Washington Township Volunteer Fire Department was called to an unoccupied home at 8875 East 25 North in Knox just after 5 a.m. and remained on the scene for nearly two hours.

Four Departments Respond to Knox House Fire

Thank you to WKVI listener Marcia Lockner for the photo of Sunday's fire on 175 N. at U.S. 35
Thank you to WKVI listener Marcia Lockner for the photo of Sunday’s fire on 175 N. at U.S. 35

An investigator from the state fire marshal’s office is in Starke County to determine the origin and cause of a house fire yesterday north of Knox. The home on 175 North just east of U.S. 35 was fully engulfed when firefighters arrived, according to Knox-Center Township Fire Chief Kenny Pfost. He says they were notified at 2:16 p.m. but were responding to a woods fire at the time. Pfost immediately requested assistance from Hamlet and Washington Township due to their extended arrival time. The Koontz Lake Volunteer Fire Department also provided water and manpower support. No injuries were reported, and the home was believed to be unoccupied. Firefighters were on the scene for three hours.

Accident Claims Life of a Knox High School Student

Drew Shearin

A Knox High School student was killed in a single vehicle accident late Monday night.

The Starke County Sheriff’s Department said that 17-year-old Andrew “Drew” Shearin was traveling eastbound on State Road 8 when for some unknown reason, his vehicle left the roadway and struck a NIPSCO utility pole. The accident occurred just east of the Yellow River Bridge. Starke County Sheriff’s Department officers and Washington Township Fire Department personnel found him trapped in the vehicle and he was pronounced dead at the scene.  Starke County EMS and the Knox City Police Department assisted at the scene.

Continue reading