NEWS 25 WEHT Evansville, Henderson, OwensboroBody Found in Aftermath of Ill. House Fire

Body Found in Aftermath of Ill. House Fire

story by: S. Chad Shoulders

WHITE CO., ILL - The charred remains of an unidentified body were discovered in the aftermath of a fatal house fire Sunday morning at 925 Co Rd 2400 N in Burnt Prairie, Illinois.

White County Sheriff, Doug Maier said the call came in around 9:11 a.m. When deputies arrived on the scene the house was fully engulfed in flames.

Maier says the owner of the home, Ivan Elliott, could not be located while the Carmi Fire Department and Fairfield Fire Department worked to fight the blaze.

After the fire was distinguished Maier said a body was discovered in the back bedroom area of the home. Due to the extent of the burns, the body could not be positively identified.

The White County Coroner, Carl McVey was called to the scene and the body was transported to the county morgue in Carmi, Illinois. An autopsy will be preformed Monday to identify the body.

An investigator from the State Fire Marshall's Office was called in to attempt to determine the cause of the fire. No evidence of foul play was discovered, however the investigation is ongoing.

While en-route to the fire, Maier says a Carmi Fire Department vehicle struck a deer on Centerville Blacktop. The tanker proceeded to the scene and only minor damage was caused.