Elderly homeowner believed to be victim of fatal house fire near Ely

MORSE TOWNSHIP — One person is dead after a house fire happened Sunday afternoon in Morse Township.

The St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office says at 1:18 p.m. Morse-Fall Lake, Ely, and Babbitt firefighters were dispatched to the structure fire in the 1400 block of Grant McMahan Boulevard near Ely.

According to a 911 report, the elderly homeowner was still inside.

Firefighters battled thick smoke and flames in order to search the home for the homeowner, but were unsuccessful, the sheriff’s office stated.

The victim’s body was later discovered in the remains of the burned down house.

The cause of the fire has been determined to be accidental and started near the fireplace inside the residence. The Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office is currently working on gathering medical and dental records to make a positive identification of the victim.