A house fire near Aitkin claimed the life of one woman on Monday.

The Aitkin County Sheriff’s Office reports that they were alerted of the fire, located southeast of Aitkin in Nordland Township, just after 6:30 p.m. The initial report indicated the fire was on the north side of the residential structure, and the caller was not sure if someone was in the home at the time.

Upon arriving at the scene, the Aitkin Fire Department saw the home was fully engulfed in flames. Once the fire was extinguished, firefighters began looking through debris and found the remains of an adult female. The victim was later identified as 74-year-old Jacquelyn Willprecht of Aiktin.

A neighboring residence was evacuated for safety. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation by the Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s Office.

By — Lakeland News