Fatal Auburn fire leaves one dead
UPDATE (08/12/2024 at 4:32 P.M. CDT): From Auburn Public Safety:
On Aug. 11, 2024, at approximately 10:40 p.m., the Auburn Fire Department responded to a call of a structure fire with trapped occupants in the 700 block of Stubb Avenue. Upon arrival, Auburn Fire crews observed heavy smoke and flames visible from the residence. Auburn Fire crews immediately initiated rescue operations, using a ladder to gain access through a bedroom window. The two occupants, one adult male and one adult female, were found unconscious and were removed from the residence. Life saving measures were immediately rendered on scene. Both patients were transported by ETS to nearby hospitals for treatment. The sixty-one-years old male patient was transported to East Alabama Health where he succumbed to his injuries. The sixty-year-old female patient was transported to Piedmont Hospital where she was reported to be in a serious, but stable condition. The structure fire was contained to its place of origin, and no additional injuries or damage to nearby structures were reported. The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Auburn Fire Department.
Original story: An overnight fire has left one person dead in Auburn.
The fire broke out around 10:40 P.M. central standard time on Sunday, August 11, 2024, in the 700 block of Stubbs Avenue.
Lee County Coroner Daniel Sexton confirmed 61-year-old Luke Welcher, 61, of Auburn, was pronounced at 11:38 P.M. at EAMC Opelika after sustaining injuries in the house fire. One other person was wounded in the fire. Their exact condition is unknown.
Welcher will be transported by the Lee County Coroner’s Office to ADFS Montgomery Medical Facility for a postmortem examination.
Related stories
SafetyHunter rescued from tree after tree stand malfunction in Tuskegee National Forest
SafetyOpelika Fire Department equips all 90 firefighters with new communication-enhanced masks
CrimeOPD: Police investigating shooting in Opelika; road closed
Crime & SafetyBREAKING: Auburn fire crews on scene of structure fire
LocalBREAKING: Opelika fire crews respond to two structure fires within 14 hours