Identity of body found in structure fire Sunday night in Newton still unknown

Newton Fire Department has not yet identified a body that was found dead in a shed that caught fire Sunday near the 700 block of East 10th Street South.

In a press release the next day, the fire station said crews responded to a call of a structure fire at approximately 9:58 p.m. July 16. When firefighters arrived, a shed behind the garage was fully engulfed. The fire was quickly brought under control. Responders then located the body of an occupant who had died.

The body has been sent to the Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner for identification and autopsy. Newton responders were assisted by the Baxter Fire Department, Kellogg Fire Department, Jasper County Sheriff’s Office and the Jasper County Medical Examiner. Crews were on scene until 12:24 a.m. July 17.

The fire remains under investigation. Anyone with information regarding the fire is asked to contact the local fire or police departments.

Newton News received comment from residents who say they witnessed an explosion during the night. As of the Tuesday afternoon, Newton Fire Chief Jarrod Wellik said the department still does not know the direct cause of the fire, but generally speaking fires can cause explosions when in contact with certain flammable materials.

For instance, paint cans or those types of things, Wellik said. The fire chief confirmed there were paint cans found at the scene, which could have caught fire and burst. The chief also did not know the identity of the body at this time, nor did he know whether it was male or female due to the severity of the burns.

The abutting home and nearby homes were not damaged by the fire. But Wellik said there was a two-car garage in front of the shed that had been damaged.