Kershaw man found dead in home after fire Thursday morning

KERSHAW, S.C. — A Lancaster County man's body was found inside his home after the home caught fire late Thursday morning. Someone driving by noticed the flames and called for help.

If it wasn't for the crime tape, a few smashed windows and the soot, you'd likely never know there was a fire on East Marion Street in Kershaw, S.C.

Neighbors say they didn't see any flames or smell any smoke. They just saw fire trucks and police.

"Must have been 5 or 6 fire trucks," said one neighbor.

"A policeman came to the back door, knocked and he asked me if someone lived over there," said Carolyn Pressley, a neighbor.

The Lancaster County Sheriff's Office says the person who did, 34-year-old Adam Whitley, was found dead inside the home.

Neighbors say he kept to himself.

"Just spoke with him occasionally when I was walking," said Pressley.

Eyewitness News spoke with someone who identified himself as the victim's cousin. He said he didn't want to speak on camera but wanted people to know his cousin was a good father, brother and friend and will be truly missed.

A woman who says she was married to Whitley's father at one time says he was a good boy growing up, was smart and used to install computers, even built hers.

Police say they are investigating the cause of the fire and have scheduled an autopsy to determine the cause of death. At this point they think the fire was an accident and haven't found signs of foul play.

The sheriff's office says the fire appears to have started in the living room, where there were several extension cords and an electric heater that was plugged in.

WSOC