GAINESVILLE, N.Y. — One person is dead following a fire near Gainesville on Monday.
Around 6:40 a.m., the Gainesville Fire Department was called to the scene of a house fire at 4201 Dutton Road.
According to Fire Chief Tyler Horton, the structural integrity of the house did not allow for teams to fight the fire from the inside. Two floors of the house had already collapsed so firefighters had to take a defensive approach.
Firefighters were able to enter the house through a side window in order to retrieve the victim. The victim was found on the couch and Horton reported they were likely sleeping as it appeares no attempt to escape was made.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation. With the structural integrity of the house being in jeopardy, investigators were not able to inside to inspect the property.