An occupant died in an accidental house fire north of Ely, officials said Monday.
Fire and law enforcement personnel responded shortly after 1:15 p.m. Sunday to the blaze just off the eastern shore of Spaulding Bay in the 1400 block of Grant McMahan Boulevard, the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office said.
Once the flames were brought under control, firefighters found the resident dead inside, the Sheriff’s Office said.
Callers to 911 described the resident as an elderly man and that he “was believed to still be inside,” the Sheriff’s Office added. However, officials are checking dental records before making a positive identification of the victim.
“The cause of the fire has been determined to be accidental and started near the fireplace inside the residence,” a statement from the Sheriff’s Office late Monday afternoon read.
