INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — A married couple died in a house fire early Saturday near Washington Park on the near northeast side of Indianapolis.
According to the Indianapolis Fire Department, 911 operators received a call from neighbors shortly after 2 a.m., who said they saw the nearby house in the 3100 block of Adams Street possibly on fire. When firefighters arrived at the single-story residence, there was heavy smoke pouring out of the home.
Firefighters located two victims inside the home: 55-year-old Norman Lomax and 48-year-old Mary Ellen Lomax. IFD said the fire was accidental in nature, with unattended food on the stove being the cause. The home had working smoke detectors, but the couple couldn’t get out in time.
We spoke to Monica McDonald who lives directly across the street. She tells FOX59 she was with the couple hours before the fire and believes they may have been cooking before falling asleep.
“When I walked out I saw their house smoking, it was like devastating. I tried everything I could to even save them. I was running up and down everybody outside. I just tried to save them that’s it,” said McDonald.
She even ran to their daughters’ home down the street trying to alert her. McDonald says she tried to save the couple, but the door was too hot and there was a lot of smoke.
“I’m not no hero or nothing, I tried to save my friends, that’s all I tried to do,” said McDonald.
EMS personnel performed CPR on-scene for both victims due to heavy smoke inhalation. They were transported by ambulance to the Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Health Hospital in critical condition.
Despite the best life-saving measures performed by doctors, both victims were pronounced dead at approximately 3:25 a.m.
The married couple lived inside the home for 13 years. They had three dogs who were all found safe outside the residence and sustained no injuries during the blaze.
“I feel so bad. Because I loved them, too,” said McDonald.
Investigators estimated the damage at about $30,000.
