Today a house fire at 4317 Pottawatomie Point Road, rural Logansport, IN, has resulted in the deaths of six people ranging in age from three months to 42 years.

This morning at approximately 1:49 a.m., a 911 call to the Cass County Dispatch Center reported a burning home at 4317 Pottawatomie Point Road, rural Logansport, IN. The caller reported that there were possibly multiple people trapped inside. Two Cass County Sheriff’s Deputies were the first to arrive at the home and found the two story house engulfed in flames. Despite the police officers attempts to reach those inside, they were prohibited from doing so by the intense smoke and fire. Officers did encounter an adult male and an adult female who had allegedly escaped the fire. The pair was transported, by ambulance, to Logansport Memorial Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. One of the deputies suffered from smoke inhalation, but refused medical treatment at the scene.

Multiple fire departments arrived on scene to battle the fire, cold temperatures, and lack of on scene access to water. Firefighters had to truck in water from a Logansport hydrant when their tanker trucks ran dry. After the fire was extinguished, fire personnel began the pain staking task of combing through the burnt-out home looking for the bodies of the deceased.

During their search, firefighters recovered six bodies, two adults and four children. The adults were a 42 year-old man and a 25 year-old woman. The children found were three girls ages 10, one, and three, and boy three months. The youngest kids are the children of the 25 year-old female. The 10 year-old girl is the daughter of the 42 year-old man.

The relationship between the 42 year-old man and the 25 year-old woman has not been established. The two adults that escaped the fire are believed to be the wife and son of the deceased 42 year-old man.

This is an active investigation led by the Cass County Sheriff’s Department. At this time, there is no evidence to indicate the fire was intentionally set.

Names of the deceased will be released when they are verified by the Cass County Coroner’s Office.

There were numerous agencies assisting the Cass County Sheriff’s Department at the scene to include the Logansport Fire Department, the New Waverly Fire Department, the Clymer’s Fire Department, the Walton Fire Department, the Indiana State Police, the Logansport Police Department, the Indiana Department of Homeland Security, the Indiana Fire Marshal’s Office, Cass County EMA, Cass County EMS, the Cass County Coroner’s Office, and the local chapter of the Salvation Army.

The Indiana Department of Transportation will restrict travel lanes on Interstate 65 beginning tonight (NOV 26), weather permitting, for scheduled maintenance operations at Lincoln and Kennedy bridge toll plazas located just north of the Ohio River.

TONIGHT & TOMORROW NIGHT—Three southbound lanes and shoulder area of I-65 will close between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. at mile marker 0.2. Traffic will narrow near the Court Avenue entrance ramp to two 11-foot-wide southbound I-65 lanes which will remain open. 

A total of twelve overnight lane closures will occur at six tolling locations on the Indiana and Kentucky sides of the Ohio River over the next two weeks. These restrictions are needed to facilitate annual preventative maintenance operations by Kapsch TrafficCom North America.  Activities will include inspection and adjustment of overhead equipment at the toll plazas.  

(Wednesday night, a single lane shift is scheduled to occur on northbound I-265 at mile maker 38.0 in Kentucky. The next night, Kapsch is calling for a single lane restriction on southbound I-265 at mile marker 38.0 in Kentucky.)

FRIDAY NIGHT—Four northbound lanes and shoulder area of I-65 will close at mile marker 0.2 on the Indiana side of the river.

NEXT MONDAY (DEC 3)—Two northbound lanes and shoulder area of I-65 will close at mile maker 0.2 during overnight hours.

NEXT TUESDAY (DEC 4)—A single ramp lane from northbound I-65 to Court Avenue/Exit 0 is scheduled to close.

NEXT WEDNESDAY (DEC 5)—One lane and shoulder of southbound I-65 will close at mile marker 2.3; one lane and shoulder of southbound I-65 will close at mile marker 0.8. (On the Kentucky side, one lane and should of northbound I-65 is scheduled to close at mile maker 135.0.).

First Sergeant Jerry Holeman of the Indiana State Police Lafayette District was advised by the Westfield Police Department of scammers using our district phone number to attempt to scam citizens of money or gift cards. 

The number they were using appears on cell phones and caller ID as 765-567-2125. There are many phone scams currently in our area, and know that the Indiana State Police do not serve arrest warrants by phone and will never call you to request money.

If you receive a call and the number comes up as the Lafayette District number, they will advise you that if you do not send money or gift cards you could be arrested or a warrant for your arrest would be issued. 

They have also used text messages to try and scam the victims with our number as the sender.  

Other popular phone scams in our area currently are the “Jury Duty” or “FBI” where the caller tells you there is an arrest warrant for you because you missed jury duty.  Then like all of the phone scams, they demand you send them money by pre-paid credit card to avoid arrest.

Other popular scams in our area are the IRS scam, Publisher’s Clearinghouse and the Grandparent -grandchild in need scam.

When receiving a call, never assume the caller ID is correct, and know that scammers will often use the names of local officers or agencies or even your own family members.

If you receive a call from a number you don’t recognize, don’t answer.  If it’s someone that needs you, they will leave a voicemail. If in doubt, call the local agency or family member back to verify the call or voicemail.

Most importantly, never be tempted to give out private information such as date of birth, social security number, or credit card numbers over the phone.

Never be pressured into making a hasty decision over the telephone and always think twice before sending money by prepaid card or wire transfer. Transactions like these are nearly impossible to trace once sent.

At approximately 1a Tuesday morning, the Salem Police Department responded to a 911 call about a non-responsive male found along the walking trail in Salem.

Brandon Booker, 34, New Albany was found dead from an apparent self-strangulation along the walking trail near the Salem Middle School. 

He was discovered by his girlfriend from Salem. Police said she has a North Main Street address.

WSLM will have more details when they become available.