Coroner identifies victim of Boardman fatal fire

Staff report

BOARDMAN

The case of last week’s fatal fire at a Border Avenue home developed Monday, with tentative identification of the victim and demolition of the house.

The Mahoning County Coroner’s office tentatively identified the victim as Andrew Gallagher, 37, who owned the house at 5731 Border Ave.

The death for now is being investigated as a homicide pending confirmation of Gallagher’s identity, but there was no sign of foul play or trauma on the body, and the home was locked when firefighters arrived, according to a news release from the coroner’s office.

Additional information also was released about the nature of the scene that responders found when they arrived just after 4 a.m. Wednesday. The body was found face up, chained at the ankle to a toilet in a second-floor bathroom, and was burned beyond recognition.

The coroner’s office will take DNA samples from family members to confirm the victim’s identity, according to the release. The release also noted that Gallagher had attempted suicide before and had a known history of depression.

The victim is believed to have died of smoke inhalation and carbon-monoxide poisoning, but a final ruling has not yet been made on his death. Toxicology test results are pending.

The badly damaged house was razed Monday. Township trustees at an emergency meeting last week approved demolition of the house after fire department officials warned it was in danger of collapsing.

The house sat at the end of a dead-end street off Meadowbrook Avenue near Southern Boulevard.