Coroner identifies man who died in Lebanon house fire

The Warren County Coroner’s Office has identified the man who died in a Lebanon house fire early Friday morning.

William Wallace, 73, was pronounced dead at the scene after fire crews responded to the 900 block of Sharon Drive at around 4 a.m. for the fire, according to Warren County Chief Coroner Investigator Mike DeBorde.

Wallace’s wife made it out of the home, but she was hurt, according to Lebanon’s fire chief.

She was taken in an ambulance to Atrium Medical Center.

Details about her injuries were not immediately available.

A neighbor had reported the blaze, telling a 911 dispatcher that at least one person was trapped inside the home, according to dispatch.

Fire crews arrived and reported seeing heavy and smoke right away.

Shortly after, they reported finding one fire victim and brought Wallace out.

Multiple fire crews responded to assist from neighboring communities, including Franklin and Clearcreek Township.

This marked the 25th fatal fire of the year and the fourth this month so far, according to the State Fire Marshal’s Office.

Last month, 21 fire fatalities were reported, nearly double the amount in January 2023.

Fire fatalities were down overall last year with 117 compared to 162 in 2022 - the highest in more than a decade.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation by the Lebanon Fire Department with the State Fire Marshal's Office in assistance.

Enquirer media partner Fox19 provided this report.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Warren County Coroner IDs man who died in Lebanon house fire