CARMEL, Ind. — One person was found dead, another was seriously injured and a firefighter suffered minor injuries in a fire at a Carmel strip mall early Thursday.
Around 3:15 a.m. May 9, Carmel Police Department officers responded to a welfare check in the 9800 block of North Michigan Road, just north of West 96th Street. Officers arrived and found a female in the street yelling for help and severely burned, Carmel Fire Department spokesperson Tim Griffin told 13News.
A fire was discovered at a strip mall nearby, and fire crews found heavy smoke and flames coming from Sunny’s massage business, which then spread to Jacquie’s Café.
Crews worked for an extended period to knock down the fire, pulling out of the building at one point after the ceiling collapsed.
A male victim was found dead inside the building.
On May 14, Hamilton County Coroner Jeff Jellison identified the deceased as 68-year-old John Michael Jackson, of Indianapolis.
The female victim was taken to Eskenazi Hospital in Indianapolis. One Carmel firefighter suffered a minor back injury.
"Our thoughts are with the families and businesses affected by this tragedy, and we are committed to conducting a thorough investigation to determine the cause of the fire," Griffin said.
Michigan Road was closed in both directions near West 98th Street for several hours early Thursday and had reopened by 8:15 a.m.
Griffin said Jacquie's Café sustained heavy smoke damage, while Sunny's massage business is a total loss. Firefighters' quick response helped prevent additional damage to surrounding businesses.