Authorities have identified a man who died after a house fire Wednesday morning in Cincinnati. The Hamilton County Coroner’s Office confirmed the victim as 74-year-old Leonard Koch.
According to Matt Flagler, Cincinnati police officers first noticed smoke coming from a home in the 4900 block of Western Hills Avenue, near Glenway Avenue, around 6:20 a.m. while on routine patrol. Firefighters responded promptly to the scene.
Flagler reported that when crews arrived, both the first and second floors of the home were already engulfed in flames. Firefighters forced entry and located the resident on the first floor. Emergency medical personnel provided care on-site and transported him to a hospital, where he was later pronounced deceased.
Approximately 60 firefighters worked for about 40 minutes to extinguish the fire. No firefighters or other emergency personnel were injured during the response.
Traffic on Glenway Avenue was temporarily blocked while crews managed the scene but has since reopened.
Fire officials stated that the cause of the fire remains under investigation. Authorities are continuing to gather information to determine how the fire started.
The Cincinnati Fire Department and local law enforcement emphasize the importance of fire safety and urge residents to ensure smoke detectors are functioning and emergency plans are in place.
Further updates will be shared as more information becomes available from investigators.
