MUNSON TOWNSHIP, OH — The state fire marshal's office is working to determine what caused a garage fire in Munson Township that killed Geauga County husband and father Bob Durey.
Durey was found dead in the backseat of his car, which had crashed into the front of his garage. His family says his dog, Pappy, was in the backseat next to him.
The fire broke out just before 5 p.m. Sunday. Bob had been headed home from his son's house when his wife heard a loud bang and noticed the lights flickering inside their Bean Road house.
She went outside and found the garage on fire.
She tried to call Bob, but he didn't answer. She then called their son, Robert Durey, who rushed to the scene.
"It was horrific. It was just up in flames. Things were exploding," Robert Durey said.
After firefighters knocked down the flames, Robert saw his father's car crashed into the front of the garage. The family believes Bob suffered a medical emergency before the crash.
"I believe he had some kind of medical issue going on. We believe he may have had a heart attack," Robert said.
Robert, who shares his father's name, is still struggling to process the loss.
"He was my best friend," Robert said.
"My heart just dropped. It was just awful. I couldn't even process what was going on," Robert said.
Durey was a mechanic for much of his life who loved spending time working in the garage that was destroyed in the fire. His toolboxes now sit among the burned-out rubble.
"He was a mechanic pretty much his whole life. He just loved working on anything with an engine," Robert said.
Bob had been planning to work on his wife's car when the fire happened. The family is hoping to raise money to replace it and cover the costs of a funeral. Bob would have turned 58 later this month.
The investigation into what caused the fire is ongoing. Robert says he is looking for answers.
"As far as closure, I would like to piece the puzzle together and find out what happened. Either way though, at the end of the day, he's gone. He's at peace. And I know he's looking down on us and watching over the family," Robert said.
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