AITKIN, Minn. — A 74-year-old Aitkin, Minn., woman was found dead by authorities after a house fire Monday, Feb. 20, southeast of Aitkin.
The body of Jacquelyn Willprecht was found among charred debris when responding to the house fire Monday evening.
The initial report was of a fire on the north side of the home, and crews did not know if anyone was inside. The reporting party said he did not see any fresh tracks in the snow outside and had hollered inside the residence with no response.
The Aitkin Fire Department, Aitkin County Sheriff’s Office and North Memorial Health Ambulance responded to the scene. As units arrived, the home was reportedly fully engulfed by flames, the sheriff’s office reported. A neighboring residence was also evacuated for precaution.
Once the fire was extinguished, responders — including an official with the State Fire Marshal’s Office — began sifting through the debris and found Willprecht’s body.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Minnesota State Fire Marshal's Office.
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