Resident Found Dead in Sioux Falls House Fire

An early morning house fire has left one person dead.

An officer on patrol discovered the fire and Sioux Falls Fire Rescue responded at 1:43 AM on Sunday February 12, in the 3400 block of North 10^th Ave.  The first arriving fire crew reported heavy smoke coming from a single family home.

Battalion Chief Matt McAreavey described the incident:

Upon entry, the crew immediately found the sole occupant inside the home.  The occupant was removed but had sustained fatal injuries.  It took crews forty five minutes to bring the fire under control.

The house sustained major fire damage.  No firefighters or other emergency personnel injuries were reported. In addition to Sioux Falls Fire Rescue responding, other the Sioux Falls Police Department, Paramedics Plus Ambulance, Med-Star Ambulance, MidAmerican Energy, Xcel Energy, and the Bureau of ATF also assisted.  ATF responds as standard practice to assist Sioux Falls Fire Prevention Bureau investigators on scene.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Chief McAreavey says it is important to have a pre-determined plan of escape in case of a fire:

Sioux Falls Fire Rescue would like to remind our residents and visitors to have an escape plan in case of an emergency.  Escape plans should include two means of egress and should be practiced regularly.

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