Coroner identifies 42-year-old man who died in Gulfport fire off Courthouse Road
The Gulfport Fire Department is investigating a fatal fire at a complex of condos off Courthouse Road.
The incident happened about 6:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Racquet Club Condominiums, Chief Mike Beyerstedt said.
When crews arrived on the scene, they saw heavy smoke coming from the home and noticed two people on the roof.
They were rescued and taken to the hospital via American Medical Response ambulance, the fire chief said.
Crews were then told that another person was trapped inside of the home.
Firefighters were able to get the victim out of the unit and perform CPR, but the individual was pronounced dead at the scene.
The victim has been identified as 42-year-old Claude Thornhill, according to Harrison County Coroner Brian Switzer. The cause of death was smoke inhalation.
Thornhill and the other two occupants woke up to the smell of smoke and tried to exit the unit through a window, Switzer said.
Thornhill couldn’t escape and was found in a bathroom by firefighters.
The investigation is ongoing, as the fire department works to determine what started the fire.
The Sun Herald will update this article as information becomes available.
This story was originally published February 26, 2020 at 8:07 AM.
