Zackary Naoumides Obituary, Death; – The mother of a man who perished in a house fire in Cheshire on Tuesday has identified him as Zackary Naoumides, expressing through tears, “They found him with his dog.”
“He was a good, kind soul,” Lori Stocks remarked about her 32-year-old son.
According to Stocks and her daughter, Alyssa Naoumides, Naoumides was in the residence with his father when the fire erupted.
Authorities, who have yet to disclose the victim’s identity, reported that the body of a man who was initially unaccounted for following the fire on Brookside Place was discovered in the debris of the charred house later that day. Another man, whose identity remains undisclosed, managed to escape and was transported to a hospital, police stated.
Zackary Naoumides was employed at an animal hospital in Wallingford, as shared by his sister and mother. Alyssa Naoumides mentioned that her brother had been considering pursuing a degree in wound care nursing. She characterized her brother as a generous, lovable, and sociable young man.
“Everyone liked him. He was wonderful with people,” she noted. “The clients at the veterinary hospital adored him.”
She recounted telling firefighters that when they discovered her brother’s body, they would also find his dog, Paige, a rescue pit bull mix who was his loyal companion.
“My brother, he was her person. She protected him,” Alyssa Naoumides said tearfully. “She loved him so much.”
Indeed, the dog was located next to Zackary Naoumides in the debris, as confirmed by her and her mother. Another dog, Lucy, a corgi, had not yet been located, but Alyssa Naoumides expressed hope and prayers that she had escaped the house.
Due to significant structural damage and a partial collapse of the residence caused by the fire, police indicated that the Cheshire Department of Public Works was summoned to aid investigators in sifting through the wreckage using construction equipment. The man’s body and the dog were recovered from the rubble, according to police.
Emergency responders arrived at the scene of the fire around 3 a.m. on Tuesday, with several nearby fire departments assisting in extinguishing the flames. Police reported that Cheshire detectives and the fire marshal were involved in the investigation.
