Scott Pelikan Obituary, Death – A fatal house fire in Evansville has claimed the life of 59-year-old Scott Pelikan, according to the Vanderburgh County Coroner’s Office. Authorities confirmed that Pelikan was found in the basement of a home on the 200 block of South St. James Boulevard after the fire broke out.
Emergency crews responded quickly and managed to extinguish the fire within 20 minutes. Officials have since released a 911 call from a concerned neighbor who reported the blaze. In the call, the neighbor can be heard telling the dispatcher, “He’s in the basement, someone’s in the basement,” indicating that Pelikan was trapped inside.
An autopsy was conducted, but officials are still waiting for the final results. Meanwhile, both the Evansville Police Department and the Evansville Fire Department continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the fire. Authorities have not yet determined the cause of the fire or whether any foul play was involved.
Investigators are examining all possible factors, including electrical malfunctions, potential hazards in the basement, and whether Pelikan had any pre-existing conditions that may have played a role in his inability to escape. Officials are also reviewing the 911 call and statements from neighbors to piece together the timeline of events leading up to the fatal fire.
While the fire was quickly brought under control, the tragic outcome has left the local community shaken. Residents in the neighborhood expressed their sorrow over the loss, with some saying they had seen Pelikan in the area frequently. One neighbor described him as a quiet man who mostly kept to himself.
Fire officials are reminding the public about fire safety precautions, especially as investigations continue. They stress the importance of functional smoke detectors, escape plans, and fire prevention measures to avoid similar tragedies in the future.
The Evansville Police Department and Evansville Fire Department are expected to release further updates as they gather more information. For now, the community mourns the loss of Pelikan as authorities work to determine the exact cause of the fire that took his life.