29-year-old man found dead in house destroyed by fire on Christmas Eve

ELYRIA, Ohio (WOIO/Gray News) - A man was found dead early Christmas Eve morning after a house fire in Ohio.

Elyria Fire Chief Joe Pronesti identified the man as Watu Brown Jr.

Two neighboring homes were also damaged in the fire.

Firefighters were called to the 300 block of Brandston Avenue around 3 a.m. Tuesday morning. Crews arrived and found the house already going up in flames, melting the sides of the neighboring homes, according to Pronesti.

Firefighters immediately searched the house to see if anyone was trapped inside and found Brown dead in a bedroom.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but it is believed to have been accidental.

Pronesti confirmed no one else was injured.

“Please remind everyone to check your smoke detectors,” Pronesti stated.

Crews were on scene extinguishing the blaze and investigating until 10:30 a.m., Pronesti said.

The blaze caused $120,000 in damage to the house where the fire broke out. One of the neighboring homes sustained $40,000 in damage, and the other sustained $20,000 worth of damage, Pronseti said.