Fatal Fire in Freeborn County

A rural Freeborn County man died after his house caught fire yesterday.

Firefighters were called to the house located near the town of Manchester around 1 p.m. and arrived to find one side engulfed in flames. After the fire was put out, the man’s body was found in the basement. He has been identified as 79 year old Edson Lebeck.

His son told investigators that his father had planned to either repair or install a water heater in the basement. The son offered to send a service worker to help but Lebeck declined. The fire was reported half an hour later.

Manchester is located northwest of Albert Lea.