Resident dies in Enterprise house fire

Coroner Robert Preachers has confirmed that Alonzo Bernard Shipman, 47, died in the fire that occurred on Larkin Street on Friday morning, Dec. 9.

The cause of the fire has not been officially identified.

Shipman has been bound to a wheelchair for the last 18 years, his cousin Jerome Horace said.

Renee Grayer, another cousin, lives near the residence and described the scene when she first noticed smoke coming from the residence.

"It was real cloudy, real smoky," Grayer said. "I saw the garbage man. The garbage man just left my house and came this way, and then I seen all this smoke."

She said she noticed the smoke was coming from the back of the house, and added that there was no one around.

"Then, that's when I started knocking on the door, banging on the door, trying to see if somebody (was) in the house," Grayer said. "Then I started screaming for help."

Another neighbor called 911.

"It's sad," Horace said. "It's sad this time of year, but it's sad to see anybody lost their house. The only thing we can do is keep him in prayer."

Horace said he did not know if anyone was living with the resident at the time.

This is a developing story. Check back for more updates.