“Elderly Couple Found Dead in Extremely Hot Home: Joan Littlejohn, 84, and Glennwood Fowler, 82, Identified as Victims”

Police in South Carolina made a tragic discovery when they found the lifeless bodies of an elderly couple inside their home. The authorities reported that the temperature inside the residence had reached an astonishing 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit (537C), due to an extremely overheated heater.

According to WYFF, officials in Spartanburg, South Carolina, were prompted to conduct a welfare check on the couple after their family expressed concern over not having heard from them in several days. Upon arriving at the locked residence, the police found a window accessible and entered the home through it. To their dismay, they discovered the elderly couple lifeless in their bedroom.

Firefighters who arrived at the scene observed that the heater located in the basement of the house was operating at an alarmingly high temperature. In fact, the temperature reading on the heater was reportedly over 1,000 degrees, as reported by WSPA. The police report stated, “They then measured the temperature of the heater itself at more than 1,000 degrees.” The intense heat generated by the heater even made it appear as if the basement was on fire, according to The Messenger.

Thankfully, the heater did not ignite and catch fire, allowing officials to deactivate the appliance. In an effort to lower the internal temperature of the house, fire officials opened the windows to let in the cold outside air. However, even after 20 minutes with the windows open, the house’s internal temperature remained above 120 degrees (48C), as confirmed by the officials.

The elderly couple has been identified as Joan Littlejohn, 84, and Glennwood Fowler, 82. Mr. Fowler was the resident of the house, while Ms. Littlejohn was staying with him at the time. The Spartanburg County Coroner has ruled out foul play as the cause of their deaths. The exact cause of death is yet to be determined, as the coroner is still conducting investigations.

According to the family, they had assisted the couple with their heater, as the couple had complained about it not providing enough warmth. The family members mentioned that they “fiddled” with a wire until a pilot light turned on, indicating it was functioning. Unfortunately, the heater seemed to malfunction and generated an excessive amount of heat, leading to this tragic incident.