Newville man killed in house fire

A Newville man died over the weekend from injuries he suffered in a fire at his Henry County home.

Henry County Coroner Derek Wright said he pronounced Warren D. Miller, 77, dead around 7 p.m. Friday about an hour after the fire started. Wright said Miller was found just inside the back door of his single-story home on Henry County Road 89.

Wright said Miller appears to have died from smoke inhalation, but the specific cause of death was unknown. He said Miller will be taken to the state Department of Forensic Science for an autopsy.

Wright said fire fighters from Newville, Headland and Echo fire departments responded to the fire.

“The whole house burned to the ground,” Wright said.

Wright said preliminary reports showed a gas leak was likely a contributing factor to the fire, but a specific cause to the fire was under investigation by the state Fire Marshals Office.