Man dies in NW Indiana house fire

A man and several pets were found dead inside a burning home Friday afternoon in northwest Indiana.

About 3:35 p.m., 28-year-old Bobby Lee Yaus was pronounced dead at the home in the 100 block of South 20th Street in Porter, according to the Porter County Coroner’s Office.

Yaus’ family had returned from running errands to find the home on fire, the coroner’s office said. After they called for help, authorities found Yaus dead on the second floor of the four-unit building.

The fire started in a living room on the first floor of the building and may have been caused by careless use of smoking materials, according to Porter Fire Chief Jay Craig Jr. Three cats and a dog were also found dead after the fire.

An autopsy to determine the cause and manner of Yaus’ death was set for Monday morning, according to the coroner’s office.