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An unidentified body was found inside this home at 405 Forest Street by firefighters.

Multiple agencies from the City and the County responded to a fatal fire on Forest Street.

A house fire on Forest Street has claimed the life of an unidentified person found inside.

Around 6:30 a.m. this morning, the Martinsville Fire Department responded to a report of a house fire at 405 Forest Street. The caller told the dispatcher that someone might be inside the home, a city of Martinsville release stated.

"The call came in as a possible structure fire by a neighbor and that there was possibly someone inside," said Martinsville Fire Chief Ted Anderson. "Police arrived first on the scene and confirmed a fire in the back of the house. They attempted to go inside and kicked in the door, but weren't able to go inside because of the fire."

Anderson said when firefighters arrived they found heavy fire at the rear of the home.

"We set up a defensive attack and once crews were able to get inside they began searching," Anderson said.

A body was located inside the home, but was unidentifiable, the release stated. An autopsy will be conducted by the Medical Examiner's Office in Roanoke to confirm the cause of death and make positive identification.

"No additional information about the victim is available at this time," the release said.

The Martinsville Police Department is conducting a death investigation, but said no foul play is suspected.

"It was an older house with older construction," said Anderson. "There were no fire stops so the fire got a lot of jump on the firefighters.

A fire stop is a means of protection that increases the fire resistance within a wall and is required in modern construction.

"Once the fire was knocked down it flared back up and we were called again to the scene," said Anderson. "We had to close Forest Street from Staling Avenue to Cole Street and cut the electricity at the pole.

Martinsville City Schools sent out an early-morning notice that there would be a delay in the buses being able to pickup students along Forest Street and a long line of public safety vehicles from multiple agencies in the City and County had converged along the 400 block of the street.

"It's an older house and we won't have much until we know what we've got," said Anderson. "We haven't confirmed the cause and won't know until we go further with the investigation."

GIS records indicated the house was built in 1920 with an assessed value of $54,500 and is owned by Rita Cox Sands. Martinsville Public Information Officer Kendall Davis said by email that the family had been notified.

Bill Wyatt is a reporter for the Martinsville Bulletin. He can be reached at 276-591-7543. Follow him @billdwyatt.

Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter.

Bill Wyatt is a reporter for the Martinsville Bulletin. He can be reached at 276-591-7543. Follow him @billdwyatt.

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A house fire on Forest Street has claimed the life of an unidentified person found inside.

An unidentified body was found inside this home at 405 Forest Street by firefighters.

Multiple agencies from the City and the County responded to a fatal fire on Forest Street.

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