UPDATE:
New information, including the name of the man who died has been released by the St. Joseph Co. Police Dept. following an explosion, fire and death early Saturday morning.
Here is the latest update released from police:
On Saturday, November 2, 2019 at approximately 3:40 a.m. St. Joseph County Police were dispatched to the area of 19800 Adams Road in Clay Township in St. Joseph County for a “loud explosion” called in by multiple neighbors.
Upon arrival, patrol officers discovered a large pick-up truck fully engulfed in flames. Also discovered approximately 8 to 10 feet from the burning vehicle was a deceased person, also engulfed in flames. The deceased has been identified as Nicolas D. Oliver, age 33 of Elkhart.
At this time, detectives believe Oliver was working on the truck with a torch, sparking an explosion of the gasoline tank on the truck. St. Joseph County Police Detectives and Clay Fire Department will continue to investigate the activity leading up to the explosion, as well as the cause of the explosion. Due to the charred condition of the truck, detectives are currently unable to identify an owner of the vehicle. The St. Joseph County Coroner’s Office has scheduled an autopsy for Tuesday morning.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call our department at 574-235-9569 or Crime Stoppers at 574-288-STOP.
ORIGINAL POST:
The St. Joseph County Police Department is releasing the following information on a fire and death investigation at 19862 Adams Road.
On Saturday, November 2, 2019 at approximately 3:40 a.m. our patrol officers were dispatched to the area of 19800 Adams Road in Northern St. Joseph County for a “loud explosion” heard by a neighbor.
Upon arrival, our patrol officers located a vehicle on fire and a deceased male body laying on the ground near the vehicle. The Metro Homicide Unit was contacted about the incident, and it was determined that our detectives would investigate the incident along with the Clay Fire Department and the St. Joseph County Coroner’s office. Information about the deceased will not be released at this time.
At this time, several people are being interviewed by our detectives. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call our department at 574-235-9569.