(La Porte, IN) - A La Porte area volunteer firefighter died following a house fire yesterday.

Marc Christiano was a long-time member of the Center Township Fire Department. He was also a former chief of the department. The fire was late yesterday afternoon at his residence in the area of Johnson Road and Country Club Drive.

“My fire department is feeling very broken right now. We lost a very near and dear friend and firefighter,” said Center Township Trustee Lisa Pierzakowski.

Christiano was taken to the hospital in La Porte. After being pronounced dead, his body was taken to the hospital outside Michigan City for an autopsy. There was a procession of emergency responders to the hospital, which has a morgue to store bodies before autopsy.

“We can’t thank all of the surrounding departments enough for all of the love and support everyone has given us. We greatly appreciate that,” Pierzakowski said.

Specifics leading up to the discovery of Christiano inside his burning residence have not been released.