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Investigation into house fire, death in Gloucester

When officials arrived, they found a person unresponsive inside the home. Their name hasn't been released at this time.

GLOUCESTER, Va. — A person was found dead during a house fire in Gloucester on Tuesday morning.

According to the Gloucester County Sheriff's Office, firefighters with Abingdon Volunteer Fire & Rescue got a call at 5:55 a.m. that a home was on fire on the 3300 block of Maple Street.

When firefighters and sheriff's deputies arrived, they found a person inside the home, unresponsive. First responders brought her outside and pronounced her dead at the scene.

Investigators with the Gloucester County Sheriff's Office said they're not releasing the victim's name or any other details until the family is notified.

Katy Wright lives just down the street and said she knows the victim and her family.

"I had just seen her last night, she was just at the house with us," Wright said. "When I saw the ambulance and fire trucks going down the road -- I could only see from my bedroom window so I couldn't see her driveway but -- I texted her and I said, 'Are you OK? I see the ambulance and fire trucks down there.' And of course, no response."

Wright said the victim had an 8-year-old son. She said the entire family is heartbroken by her loss.

"She was just a very happy, smiling... she would do anything for any of her friends. She would give the shirt off her back to anybody," Wright said. "She was the light of this neighborhood, she really was. She's lived here forever and everyone knew her. She had so many friends."

Gloucester County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigations Division and the Virginia State Police arson investigators are conducting both a fire and death investigation. 

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Norfolk will determine the cause of death. 

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