Coroner identifies man who died in Inkom house fire

BANNOCK COUNTY, Idaho (KIFI) - UPDATE 1/10/24: The Bannock County Coroner’s Office, in cooperation with the Bannock County Sheriff’s Office, has confirmed the identity of the 80-year-old who was killed following the house fire in the 2900 block of W Old Highway 91 west of Inkom on Monday, Jan. 8, 2024.

Officials say Leonard Damron of Inkom passed away at the Portneuf Medical Center on Tuesday.

Next of kin has been notified.

The incident remains under investigation by the Bannock County Sheriff’s Office.

“My heart is with Mr. Damron's family during this difficult time,” said Coroner Torey Danner.

ORIGINAL: A Bannock County Sheriff’s Deputy is recovering from smoke inhalation after pulling a man from his burning home near Inkom.

On Monday, Jan. 8, around 10:30 p.m., deputies responded to a call for a house fire in the 2900 block of
W Old Highway 91 west of Inkom.

Deputy Michael Coito, who was first to arrive, found an adult woman and a young man outside the burning residence. They told Coito an elderly man who couldn’t walk was stuck inside the house.

Coito jumped into action and ran inside the house. He had limited visibility due to the large amounts of smoke billowing from the fire but was able to locate the man and pull him outside to safety. An ambulance arrived and transported the man to the Portneuf Medical Center for treatment.

Unfortunately, the 80-year-old man passed away at the Portneuf Medical Center on Tuesday. His identity will be released by the Bannock County Coroner’s Office following notification of next of kin. The Pocatello Valley Fire Protection District put the fire out. The home is a total loss, but the flames did not spread to nearby residences. The Bannock County Sheriff’s Office is conducting an investigation into the cause of the fire.

West Old Highway 91 was temporarily closed due to the fire but was reopened Tuesday morning.

“This story, while it did not turn out as we hoped, shows how committed our deputies are to protecting and serving our community. Deputy Coito is a fine example of our office, and I’m proud of his actions and bravery. My heart goes out the deceased and his family during this difficult time,” Sheriff Tony Manu said.

Deputy Coito was treated for smoke inhalation and is on a treatment plan to ensure his health is not impacted long-term by the smoke from the fire.