Bargersville firefighters work in the aftermath of a rural Bargersville fire that claimed a life on Sunday.
An weekend fire claimed the life of an elderly Bargersville woman.
First responders were called Sunday afternoon to the 1400 block of County Road 700 West. When they arrived, the home was fully engulfed. Family members at the scene said a female relative was trapped inside, according to a Bargersville Community Fire Department news release.
Heavy black smoke was visible from several miles away. It took about 13 minutes for crews to get to the house, which is six miles southwest of Bargersville, and another 15 minutes to get the fire under control, according to the news release.
Once crews could enter the home safely, the victim was already dead. The name of the woman is not being released at this time because a DNA test is needed for positive identification, said Mike Pruitt, Bargersville’s assistant fire chief.
The woman lived with two other family members who were not home at the time of the fire. Smoke alarms were in working order, the family told firefighters.
One firefighter was injured during the fire and taken to the hospital for treatment, according to the news release.
Investigators from the Bargersville and White River Township fire departments, Indiana State Fire Marshal’s Office, Johnson County Sheriff’s Office and Johnson County Coroner’s Office were still working together Monday to determine the cause of the fire and cause of death, Pruitt said.
About 35 firefighters and tankers from multiple departments, including White River Township, Nineveh Township, Green Township, Whiteland, Trafalgar and Morgantown assisted. Bargersville and Trafalgar police also responded, the news release says.
