Man dies in Wednesday morning house fire

Authorities say a man died in a fire at a home in Gadsden after only living there for about a day.   Etowah County Deputy Coroner Michael Head determined that  31 year old Brandon Messer,  died from smoke inhalation.  Messer was originally from Boaz but moved into a home on Cambron Street in south Gadsden on Monday night. He and his wife had only lived there a little more than a day before he died.  Gadsden Fire Chief Stephen Carroll says the fire likely broke out sometime between midnight and 2 a.m. Wednesday. They are still investigating the cause of the fire.  The responding firefighters did not see any visible smoke or any sign of fire when they got to the scene. The fire had already burned itself out in the living room by the time they arrived at the home.  There is evidence that Messer tried to extinguish the fire himself.  Firefighters found footprints and pitchers and stuff like that, that he could've been using. And water was still left on in the shower and in the sink, which indicated that he may have been trying, going back and forth and getting water, to throw on the fire.  Messer's wife came home from working a third shift job at 8:17 a.m. Wednesday. She called 911 at 8:22 a.m. and her husband's body was found at 8:31 a.m.

Investigators think they have an idea of what may have caused the fire, but are not releasing that information at this time. They are convinced that it was accidental.