JACKSON - The fire that took the life of a rural Jackson woman is still under investigation, according to Jackson County Sheriff Roger Hawkinson.
Florence Oeltjenbruns, 78, died Friday afternoon after a fire broke out in the farm house she lived in with husband Melvin Oeltjenbruns. Florence was home alone at 3:30 p.m., when a 911 call reporting the fire had the Lakefield Fire Department responding to the home on 460th Ave. in Hunter Township.
"She was partially disabled," Hawkinson reported Monday. "She had a partially amputated foot and severe arthritis to her back. She kind of scooted around on a kitchen chair with wheels."
The home was extensively damaged - fire fighters arrived at the scene Friday to find the house totally engulfed in flame. They remained on the scene for approximately seven hours.
"It was an older farm house," Hawkinson stated. "It went up quickly."
ADVERTISEMENT
Fire Marshal Steve Kellen arrived in Hunter Township that day to investigate the cause of the blaze, but is scheduled to return in the next few days.
"We won't really have anything more until the fire marshal comes back out and sifts through the debris to see if he can determine a cause," Hawkinson explained. "We're waiting for it to cool off."
More information will be posted as it becomes available.
