RICHFORD — A woman was killed during a fire in Richford early this morning.
At around 4:10 a.m. the Richford Fire Department received a call reporting a structure fire at a single-family residence on Union Street.
Upon arrival, the fire department discovered that the building was completely engulfed in flames.
They immediately took defensive firefighting actions to prevent the fire from spreading to neighboring buildings.
During the assessment of the scene, Chief Andy Pond discovered that a female occupant was missing and believed to be in the burning building.
As a result, he contacted the Department of Public Safety Fire and Explosion Investigation Unit to assist in locating any victims and to determine the origin and cause of the fire.
Investigators responded to the fire scene and conducted a thorough search of the area.
Unfortunately, they discovered the remains of a deceased female in the living room area on the first floor.
The victim’s remains have been sent to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Burlington where an autopsy will determine the manner and cause of death as well as verify the victim’s identity.
The investigation is still ongoing, and the origin and cause of the fire event have not been determined due to the extensive damage.
However, the fire does not appear to be the result of a criminal act, police say.
