New details are emerging about a house fire that claimed the life of 60-year-old Daniel Shepherdson last week.
Shepherdson died as a result of a fire at a 4-plex on Avenue D North. Investigators have concluded the fire was an accident, but neighbours like Dale Murphy say they are not surprised the house went up in flames.
Murphy says with over 10 people living in the small house, the blaze was an accident waiting to happen. "They shouldn't be overcrowding and they should have proper kitchens."
The fire department says the fire was caused by a hot plate left unattended in the basement. Officials say there were 10 bedrooms in the basement alone.
Neighbours say fire fighters were at the house days before it went up in flames, checking out the belongings in the yard. Murphy saw them investigating the property. "When I went by with my truck I saw them go inside so they must have done the inside too."
The house is owned by Jack Grover. In 2005, a rental home he owned burned, and two children died as a result. Grover was jailed for falsifying the smoke detector records.
In this latest accident, fire investigators discovered that three of the four smoke detectors didn't work, but it's the landlord's responsibility to make sure detectors are up to code. They are requesting documents from Grover, stating that the detectors were working. Those documents will determine what happens next in the investigation.
