Elderly woman killed in Independence house fire, police investigating

An elderly woman died in a house fire Monday in Independence, according to police.

About 1:35 p.m., Independence police were called to the 15700 block of East South Avenue on reports of a house fire.

Police said they encountered fire, smoke and a woman inside the house. They immediately pulled the woman from the home and began CPR before pronouncing her dead.

The cause of the fire was unclear. No other deaths or injuries were reported.

A neighbor who also lives on East South Avenue said she heard “two loud booms” but wasn’t sure how the fire started.

Workers from the Squire gas company were on the scene investigating. They were joined by Kansas City police, the Independence Fire Department and the Missouri State Fire Marshall.

Police said the fire marshal was contacted about 1:55 p.m. with a request to help in the investigation.

Detectives described the deceased as an “elderly woman.” They said she lived in the single structure home with her husband and adult daughter, neither of whom were home.

The name of the woman killed in the fire was not immediately released.

This story was originally published November 5, 2018 at 5:56 PM.