Rehobeth man dies in house fire

A Rehobeth man died sometime late Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning after a fire engulfed his home at 503 S. Highway 109.

Mark Lavon Meredith, 25, was found dead on his couch while Rehobeth and Hodgesville volunteer firefighters battled the fire after midnight Wednesday.

Houston County Coroner Robert Byrd said smoke inhalation was the likely cause of death, but an autopsy will reveal an exact cause.

According to Rehobeth Deputy Fire Chief John Parrish, flames were already shooting through the home’s roof when firefighters arrived on scene.

“About 80 percent of the roof structure had flames shooting out,” Parrish said. “Dispatch told us the caller said flames were already visible when the call was made. We found the victim on the couch.”

Danielle Shirah, a neighbor and acquaintance of Meredith, made the call, fearing Meredith or his brother would be home.

“He had a brother named Lance, and they’d lived there since the spring of last year,” said Shirah, who lives just a few houses behind Meredith’s. “I was on my way home, and I (saw) it as I rode by and thought it was a bonfire. Then I pulled on my road and realized it was a fire, so I called the cops. I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t do anything if anybody was in there.”

According to neighbors, Meredith’s parents own the house. They left it to their two sons last year after moving to Florida.

Shirah valued her time spent with Meredith, crediting him with lightening the mood of any room he was in.

“He was really outgoing. He had an awesome personality,” she said. “He was just a good person to be around.”

Edward Williams has been the Meredith family’s next-door neighboor for years.

“(My nephew) knew him pretty good. They played football together at Rehobeth (High School). He was a real good kid,” Williams said. “They’ve been nice neighbors, nice people.”

Because of the time of night, Parrish said the neighbors likely didn’t notice the fire until it was too late.

“That time of night, people are asleep. It was already through the roof by the time anyone noticed,” he said.