ST. CLOUD, Minn. — One person is dead after an early morning house fire in St. Cloud Monday.
Fire officials say crews were dispatched to a home on the 100 block of 17th Ave. South just before 4:30 a.m. on reports of a house fire. St. Cloud police officers arrived first, entered the burning structure and immediately carried out one resident who was confined to a wheelchair.
Another resident had escaped the fire, but responding police officers were told there was possibly one more person inside on the second floor. Due to the presence of heavy smoke they were unable to immediately check the second level.
Firefighters arrived on scene and entered the home to conduct search and rescue and fire suppression operations. They made it to the second floor, where a deceased individual was located.
The fire was eventually extinguished, and initial reports have damage estimates of $70,000 for the structure and contents.
Investigators from St. Cloud police and fire and the State Fire Marshal's Office remain on scene. At this point there is no preliminary report on a cause.
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