CLAYPOOL — An early morning house fire has claimed the life of one person in southern Kosciusko County.

Firemen from the Burket/Seward Township Fire Department responded this morning at approximately 2:57 a.m. to a reported residential house fire in the 8600 block of South Valentine Road, Claypool, near Yellow Creek Lake.  Fireman arrived to find the structure fully engulfed in flames, and began an exterior battle of the fire.  After gaining control of the fire, and during the investigation, fireman subsequently located the burnt remains of an individual inside the dwelling.  Kosciusko County Coroner Anthony Ciriello was summoned to the scene, along with officers from the Indiana State Fire Marshall’s Office and the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department.

Kosciusko County Coroner Ciriello stated that the human remains were removed and transported to the Northeast Indiana Forensic Center for a formal autopsy and dental comparison before a complete positive identification can be made, as well as the cause of death. 

At this time, Ciriello stated that incident is still under investigation by the multiple agencies.  Additional information will be released as it becomes available.