Lincoln Police have identified the man who died in a house fire on Christmas Eve as 78-year-old James Ihrie. LPD went to the home near 39th and ‘L’ Street to do a welfare check after a neighbor noticed water pouring from the sump pump drain on the front of the house and the windows fogged over.
LFR crews were then called due to the odor of smoke coming from the residence. Public Information Officer MJ Lierman says firefighters forced their way inside and found smoke in the house and declared working incident at 1:36 am.
The fire started in a basement room, but there were no active flames when crews got there. As smoke started to clear in the basement, search crews discovered Ihrie’s body. The incident was declared under control at 1:47 am and Lierman says it appears the fire smoldered itself out and was contained to the basement room.
“LFR would like to extend our sympathy to the family at this difficult time of loss,” Lierman says. The coroner’s report is under investigation and the name of the victim has not been released pending notification of family. Damage is estimated $100,000 to the house and LFR says there was no working smoke alarm.