A Thursday afternoon house fire in East Sparta turned deadly when firefighters discovered a body inside a burning home on Hudson Drive, according to authorities.
Crews were called to the single-family residence in the 4500 block of Hudson Drive SW around 3:45 p.m., where they arrived to find the structure already fully engulfed in flames, WKYC reported. Firefighters later located a body inside the home, which officials have deemed a total loss.
Authorities have not yet released the victim’s identity as investigators work to piece together what happened. Detectives with the Stark County Sheriff’s Office and investigators from the Ohio State Fire Marshal’s Office have been assigned to the case.
Recent fatal fires in the county
The death adds to a grim stretch of fatal house fires in Stark County this spring. Just last Friday, a Plain Township blaze claimed the life of a 6-year-old child, with the state fire marshal also leading that investigation, according to WOIO/Cleveland 19.
Officials: investigation remains active
Officials have not identified a cause for Thursday’s fire and say more information will be released when it becomes available, per WKYC. The Stark County Sheriff’s Office has not provided additional details about the victim or whether anyone else was inside the residence at the time of the blaze.
Forensic specialists with the state fire marshal’s office are expected to comb through what remains of the home as the investigation continues.
