May 3, 2019—The owner of a Gary, Ind., midtown body shop perished in a fire at his business on Wednesday. The victim was identified as Herman Kendrick, 65, of Gary, according to The Chicago Tribune.
Kendrick was the owner of Herman's Body Shop, at 2179 in Gary. The coroner's office said the official cause of death was still pending.
Friends and family members gathered in the body shop parking lot on Wednesday afternoon to remember Kendrick. Kendrick reportedly operated the body shop for nearly 35 years.
A friend said Kendrick arrived at the business early Wednesday, likely to work on a vehicle. It's unclear how the fire started, but a friend at the scene said Kendrick was able to call 911, but apparently couldn't get out in time. The fire reportedly began around 5:45 a.m.
The blaze collapsed the roof of the business.
