TROTWOOD — UPDATE @3:10 p.m.
The person who died when a van caught fire early Friday morning in Trotwood has been identified.
Edward Scott, 53, died in the fire, said Montgomery County Coroner Dr. Kent Harshbarger.
FIRST REPORT
At least one person is believed to be dead after a van caught fire in the lot of Bill’s Towing and Auto Repair on West Third Street in Trotwood Friday morning.
Police and fire crews responded to the business around 4:30 a.m. and found the van on fire, records show.
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The Montgomery County Coroner’s Office was called to the scene shortly after crews arrived.
The business’ owner Bill Smith said the person who died was a man and was homeless. Smith added the victim had worked for him from time to time.
“I had a homeless person working for me off and on and evidently had been sleeping in the van,” Smith told News Center 7’s Kayla Courvell. “I had no idea he’d been sleeping there.”
Smith said the victim always had his dog with him and believes the dog also died in the fire.
“(He was a) good worker and always carried that little dog everywhere he went,” Smith said.
The business owner told News Center 7 the victim had asked to park the van at the shop approximately three to four months ago, when he had no place to park it.
The Montgomery County Coroner’s Office has not yet released the name of the victim.
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