Cause of death for DeKalb man who died in January garage fire ruled accidental: coroner

DeKALB - The death of a 73-year-old man from a garage fire a month ago on Sixth Street in DeKalb was ruled accidental, according to DeKalb County Coroner officials, who say the man died from carbon monoxide poisoning.

According to the DeKalb County Coroner’s Office which released information on the death Wednesday, 73-year-old Carmen Protano Jr.’s death was determined to be accidental.

“The cause was carbon monoxide intoxication due to, or as a consequence of, [the] house fire,” said Linda Besler of the DeKalb County Coroner’s Office, in a Wednesday email.

According to DeKalb County property records, Protano was listed as an owner for an improved commercial site on South Sixth Street in DeKalb. Protano and two dogs died following a fire inside a garage on Sixth Street just after midnight Jan. 16, according to officials from the DeKalb Fire Department.

Fire crews believe the man was living inside of the four-door garage with several dogs, said Deputy Fire Chief Bart Gilmore. The fire was called in by a passerby, Gilmore said.

Emergency crews were called to 1004 S. Sixth St. in DeKalb for reports of a fire around 12:22 a.m. Jan. 16. When first responders arrived, they saw heavy smoke showing from the roof of the residence, according to the release.

Two dogs were also found and pronounced dead, Gilmore said. One firefighter was also treated at Kishwaukee’s emergency department for minor injuries and released.

The fire caused about $500,000 worth of damage, according to a news release, and also left a firefighter with minor injuries. Gilmore said the firefighter suffered an injury to his face.