Danville house fire victim named: Vermilion Co. Coroner

DANVILLE, Ill. (WCIA) — The Vermilion County Coroner has announced the name of the person who died in a Danville house fire Friday evening.

66-year-old Helen Demarest was identified as the victim and resident of the McKinley Avenue house. Near midnight on Friday, firefighters responded to the scene and found fire raging on the front and sides of the house. By the time Demarest was located in the house, firefighters said she had already succumbed to her injuries.

Five pets also died in the incident. The Danville Fire Department determined the house had no working smoke alarms.

Coroner Jane McFadden said Demarest’s family has been notified and an autopsy is scheduled. The Danville Fire Department and Illinois State Fire Marshall’s Office are working to investigate the cause of the fire.

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