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Man found dead inside north side house on fire

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A 65-year-old man was found dead in a north-side house on fire Saturday morning.

Indianapolis Fire Department responded to the fire about 9:45 a.m. in the 5400 block of North Park Drive.

After arriving on scene and successfully putting out the fire, crews searched the home and found Ronald Eden dead near the back of the structure.

People living in the tight knit neighborhood of Boulevard Manor described Eden as a good neighbor and said he kept to himself.

Neighbors told News 8 they were in disbelief that one of their own was taken so tragically, and hoped the coming days will shed some light on what exactly happened.  

“Our next door neighbor, the neighbor between the two of us, he texted me and said, ‘Are you home? There’s stuff going on!’ So, I called him right away and that’s when he told me that there had been a fire,” said Jackie Sundboom. “It’s just really, really strange. You know, we’re just shocked.”

The fire was ruled accidental, possibly from improperly discarded smoking materials.

Damage was estimated at $35,000. 

Investigators are still waiting on an autopsy to find out how Eden died.