JACKSON CENTER — A woman was claimed in a Thanksgiving Day house fire near the village of Jackson Center and another resident of the home was treated for smoke inhalation, deputies of the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office report.
Deputies and Fire and EMS personnel from a number of departments responded about 4:55 a.m. Thursday to 16041 Pasco-Montra Road on a report of a house fire with a person trapped inside the residence.
The first unit arrived within six minutes to find the home totally engulfed in flames, along with confirming that a man was trapped inside the home.
The man, whose identity has not been released, was transported by squad to Wilson Memorial Hospital for treatment of injuries.
Once the fire was brought under control, firefighters located the female victim inside the home.
The deceased woman was transported to the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office. An autopsy has been ordered by the Shelby County Coroner’s Office to determine the victim’s identity.
Responding departments at the scene included Jackson Center, Anna, Van Buren and Boktins fire departments and Anna EMS. Additional tankers were brought in from the Maplewood, Port Jefferson and Minster fire departments.
The investigation is in its early stages and no origin or cause of the fire has yet been determined. The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office detectives, Sidney-Shelby County Fire Investigation Unit, the Shelby County Coroner’s Office and the state fire marshal’s office are conducting a joint investigation.
“Jackson Center is a close-knit community,” Jackson Center Fire Chief Jerry Davis said. “This is not only a tragedy to the community, but the community as a whole.”