Kendra Hodges Obituary, Death;- Kendra Hodges was the individual who perished late on July 4 due to a garage fire located on U.S. 231 south of Romney, as reported by the Tippecanoe County coroner’s office.
Hodges, aged 33, succumbed to smoke inhalation and burns, as indicated by an autopsy conducted earlier this week. The coroner’s office had to identify her through DNA due to the severity of her injuries. The results of those tests were completed on Thursday morning.
Hodges was among three individuals present in the garage, where at least two buckets of fireworks mortars were stored in preparation for an Independence Day celebration taking place in a nearby field, according to fire investigators. They noted that a party was being held at the time.
The overhead garage door was opened on the east side, and 46-year-old Scott M. Provo from southeastern Tippecanoe County was positioned near the door when the fireworks were ignited, as stated by Deputy Indiana State Fire Marshal Bill Dearing earlier this week.
Provo sustained severe burns and was transported to Eskenazi Hospital in Indianapolis via Lifeline helicopter, according to officials from the Tippecanoe County sheriff’s department.
The homeowner, Joshua Hancock, was located near the center of the garage and fell to the floor when the fireworks were triggered. He managed to crawl out of the garage on his stomach and escaped unharmed, Dearing reported.
Hodges was situated at the west end of the garage, with the exploding fireworks obstructing any possible escape route, Dearing explained. She tragically died at the scene.
The garage was rapidly consumed by flames and was completely destroyed.
Multiple township fire departments responded to extinguish the fire, and U.S. 231 south of Tippecanoe County Road 1300 South was closed for several hours, as per the sheriff’s department.
The fire incident and the circumstances surrounding Hodges’ death are still under investigation, according to the coroner’s office.
