BRAYDON BLAKE, Authorities are investigating a fatal house fire in Bloomington that claimed the lives of two people and resulted in one individual being taken into police custody early Sunday morning.
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) said deputies, along with personnel from the Monroe County Fire Protection District, were dispatched to the 3800 block of East Anderson Road at approximately 2:39 a.m. after receiving reports of a residential structure fire.
When first responders arrived, they found that a vehicle had crashed into an attached garage, which was fully engulfed in flames.
One person was able to escape from the home but sustained serious burn injuries.
Another individual at the scene provided initial information to investigators.
Both individuals were taken to a local hospital and were later airlifted or transferred to Indianapolis for specialized burn treatment.
During a search of the residence, emergency crews discovered two additional occupants inside the home.
As firefighters and medical personnel continued working at the scene, law enforcement began searching for a person believed to be responsible for starting the fire.
With assistance from the Bloomington Police Department and the Indiana State Police, investigators located a person of interest, identified as Braydon Blake, about one hour later in a wooded area on the property.
Authorities said Blake was also suffering from burn injuries and was transported to a local hospital before being transferred to Indianapolis for further medical care.
MCSO confirmed that two individuals later died as a result of their injuries.
According to a source who spoke with Channel2 NOW, a woman lost her grandmother in the fire, and the grandmother’s caretaker also lost her disabled child during the incident.
The Monroe County Coroner’s Office has not released the identities of the victims at this time, pending notification of next of kin.
The investigation remains active and ongoing, and officials have not yet released additional details about the circumstances surrounding the fire.
