1 killed, 1 hurt in Charlotte County house fire

Reporter: Corey Lazar
Published: Updated:
Photo via viewer Greg Butler.

PUNTA GORDA, Fla. — One person was found dead and another taken to a hospital after a house fire Monday afternoon east of I-75 in Charlotte County, the county sheriff’s office said.

The person who died suffered severe burns, while the person who went to the hospital — a man in his 60s — is expected to be OK, according to the sheriff’s office.

The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit and the state fire marshal are investigating the blaze, which took place at 32162 Oil Well Road. They’re considering it a criminal investigation because of the death.

The cause of the fire is unclear. Officials haven’t been able to identify the person who died because of the severity of the burns on the body. The name of the victim who survived has not been released.

The house is at the end of a long dirt path, and emergency crews had a difficult time getting there. Extensive damage took place, though the home isn’t a total loss, sheriff’s office spokesperson Skip Conroy said.

The man who was hurt said he called 911 when he smelled smoke coming from a back room, went inside and saw the flames.

No further information is immediately available.

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