(Menlo) A Menlo woman died in a house fire Tuesday morning.
Adair/Guthrie County Emergency Management officials said at 9:20 a.m., Guthrie County dispatched a simultaneous page for Menlo Fire, Stuart Fire and Stuart Rescue for a report of a possible house fire in the 400 block of 3rd Street in Menlo. Menlo Fire had a firefighter and truck arrive on scene several minutes later and confirmed that there was smoke showing and there was an active house fire. As that firefighter started his walkaround assessment of the structure and situation, he was met by neighboring people that informed him that there may be someone inside the home. While he performed his walk around, he was banging on windows and the side of the house to see if he could stir anyone or hear anything. Stuart Fire Department arrived on scene at 9:35 a.m. finding heavy smoke coming from the eaves of the home and flames bursting out of the peak of the west gable wall above the attached garage. Stuart Fire Department quickly initiated an interior attack with a search team. Within minutes, they located a 73-year-old woman at an end of a hallway approximately 16-feet from an exit. At 9:44 a.m., medical crews requested an Air Ambulance and shortly after that the woman was pronounced deceased on scene.
The fire appeared to have been burning for awhile prior to the 911 call as there was a portion of the floor burned through and furniture falling into the basement. The fire appears to have started in the northwest corner of the house in the living room area as that is where extensive fire damage was located.
EMA Coordinator Jeremy Cooper stated, “Menlo and Stuart Fire crews did an amazing job and quickly responded to this fire, unfortunately a life was lost today and that always weights heavy on our first responders. They not only battled the flames and cold, but also their emotions as most people in small communities as Menlo know everyone and have a connection with each other.”
The cause of the fire is under investigation. The State Fire Marshall was called to the scene. The victim was transported to the State Medical Examiner to determine a cause of death.
Agencies assisting on scene included the Menlo Fire, Stuart Fire, Stuart Rescue, Dexter Fire, Casey Fire, Guthrie County Sheriff, Stuart Police, and Adair & Guthrie County EMA.
