One state agency is now helping investigate a fatal house fire in Dawson County, according to a Nov. 18 press release from Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John F. King. 

On Nov. 15, Dawson County’s Fire and Emergency Services requested the State Fire Marshal’s Office to respond to a residential fire with one recorded fatality on Kelly Bridge Road, the press release said. 

Emergency crews responded to a structure fire at a house off of Kelly Bridge Road at about 1:30 that morning, said Fire and EMS Chief Troy Leist. 

“After the fire was put out, firefighters located the victim’s body in the ashes of the residence,” Commissioner King said in the Nov. 18 release. “The victim was removed from the scene and transported to the GBI Crime Lab to learn the victim’s identity and cause of death.”

The 1,700-square foot-residence, which was around 72 years old, was completely destroyed by the fire. The fire remains under investigation at this time, the release stated. 

Authorities are still in the process of positively identifying the victim, said Dawson County Sheriff Jeff Johnson. 

DCN will update this story once more information can be publicly released.