Investigators today are still trying to determine what caused a fatal fire Saturday night in Oktibbeha County.
The blaze began around 7:25 p.m. at 2331 Williams Road and left 58-year-old Ruth Bishop dead, though the cause of Bishop”s death has not yet been determined, Oktibbeha County Coroner Michael Hunt said this morning. An autopsy is scheduled for Tuesday.
Bishop and her son, Dion, were home when the fire began, but Bishop”s son was unable to save his mother before the blaze forced him from the home, Hunt said. Bishop”s son was not injured.
The State Fire Marshal”s Office was at the scene Sunday and is still trying to determine what caused the blaze. No foul play is suspected, Hunt said.
Oktibbeha County Fire Services Coordinator Kirk Rosenhan said the fire appears to have started in the kitchen area, though it is still under investigation.
Firefighters from District 5/Oktoc responded to the scene Saturday night, along with Central Oktibbeha Volunteer Fire Department and other county departments. This morning, Rosenhan described the fire as “very big” and “very hot.”
The fire on Williams Road was the second major structure fire to which county firefighters responded in four days. Last Wednesday, crews responded to a house fire on Blackjack Road, which destroyed the structure, but resulted in no injuries. The man in the home on Blackjack Road was awoken by his smoke detector.
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