TITONKA – A man was found deceased inside a fully-engulfed garage fire Sunday morning in Titonka.
The Kossuth County Sheriff reports that on Sunday, April 7, 2024, at about 4:25 AM, the Kossuth County Law Enforcement Center received a 911 call from 3407 210th Ave, Titonka, from a female caller reporting a fire at their acreage. The caller was awakened by the power going off to the house and noticed a glow of a fire at their workshop outbuilding, located west of the house. The caller advised dispatch that she wasn’t sure of her husband’s whereabouts, as he had been out in the workshop earlier due to not being able to sleep. The Titonka Fire and EMS were paged to the scene. Kossuth County EMS and the Bancroft Fire Department were also paged to assist.
Upon arrival, the building was fully engulfed in fire and first responders determined that a person was inside the building. Brian Leroy Janssen, age 45, was found deceased inside the structure. The Titonka Fire Chief requested the ‘Kossuth County Medical Examiner’s Office and the State Fire Marshall’s Office be contacted to assist with the investigation and to help determine the cause of the fire. The State Medical Examiner’s Office in Ankeny will conduct an autopsy to help determine the cause of death.
The Titonka Fire Department and EMS were assisted at the scene by the Bancroft Fire Department, Kossuth County Emergency Management, Kossuth County Medical Examiner’s Office, Kossuth County Sheriff’s Office, and the State Fire Marshall’s Office.