~~ BY ROBERT SORRELL | BRISTOL HERALD COURIER | | Posted: Wednesday, January 14, 2015 12:30 pm
Update: 12:30 p.m., by Allie Robinson Gibson
ABINGDON — Crews were still working to clean up at the site of a fatal house fire late Wednesday morning.
One person was killed in the blaze, and has yet to be identified by police.
Neighbors on the short road — Pickett Lane — said the person who died was a man, who was home alone at the time. They said he has a wife and children, who were not home around 4:15 when the blaze started.
Susan Coleman, who lives next door, called 911. She said she woke up in the middle of the night with the sensation that she felt heat. She looked out the window and saw the yellow home just yards away on fire.
The Virginia State Police and Washington County Sheriff’s Office are investigating.
ABINGDON, Va. — Virginia State Police and Washington County authorities are investigating an early morning fire that killed one person.
Tenille Montgomery, a spokeswoman for the Abingdon Fire Department, said firefighters were dispatched to 22202 Pickett Lane at 4:15 a.m. this morning in reference to a report of a residential structure fire.
Units from the Abingdon Fire Department, Washington County Life Saving Crew, Green Spring Fire Department, Meadowview Fire Department and Washington County Sheriff’s Office responded.
Upon arrival, Montgomery said, the structure was engulfed in flames and the occupant was unable to escape. There is one confirmed fatality and that person has not yet been identified.
The fire was contained to the one structure, starting in the back of the house, and did not spread to any additionally structures.
The scene is still in active operation and the fire department is performing a complete overhaul on the structure.
Washington County Virginia Sheriff Fred Newman said deputies initially responded to the fire. The Virginia State Police is investigating the cause and will release additional information when it becomes available.
Neighbors told the Bristol Herald Courier the man who died was alone at the time of the fire. The family was staying elsewhere, neighbors said.
Bristol Herald Courier reporter Allie R. Gibson contributed to this report.