By Kara Linaburg
The identity has been released of the 86-year-old woman who died in a late night house fire Jan. 26 on 3rd St. in Shinnston.
Janet Lafollette died in the fire, according to the Office of the State Fire Marshal.
“The fire is undetermined in cause but most probably accidental,” said Deputy State Fire Marshal, Jason D. Baltic.
According to WBOY, seven fire departments reported to the scene after a 911 call was placed at 10:47 p.m. It was reported early on of a possible entrapment in the single-story home, and surrounding neighbors said the smell of the fire continued to be overpowering several streets over. First responders arrived on the scene to find a fully involved structure fire, and it took fire crews approximately an hour to get the fire under control and extinguish it.
“We had it (the fire) under control in about 45 minutes and we were on the scene until about 4 a.m. Friday,” Shinnston Fire Chief Donnie Lindsey told WV MetroNews.
The body of the deceased was then taken to the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office in Charleston for identification.
