PERRY TOWNSHIP, Allen County, Ohio (WLIO) — One person died in a camper fire in Perry Township late Thursday afternoon.
Fire officials said one victim was found inside a camper at 1905 Kingston Ave. Authorities have not confirmed the victim's identity, despite several neighbors reporting that the victim was an adult woman.
Perry Township firefighters were returning from an unrelated EMS call at a local hospital when they were dispatched to the fire. When crews arrived, they found both the camper and an adjacent garage fully engulfed in flames.
Assistant Fire Chief Nick Adams, who officially takes over as fire chief on Monday, said firefighters quickly brought the bulk of the fire under control before conducting a search of the camper, where they located the victim.
Adams said fatal fires are among the most difficult calls firefighters face and that they never become easier, regardless of experience.
“No matter how long you've been doing it, it’s tough… but these guys are trained for this. This is what we train for. They did a good job, though. As soon as they got here, they got the initial hit on the fire, and then, they started going in and doing what they’re called to do and do the primary search,” says Asst. Chief Nick Adams, Perry Fire Department.
Three cats and a bird inside the camper also died in the fire.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation. The Ohio State Fire Marshal's Office has been called in to investigate, and the Lima Fire Department assisted Perry Township crews at the scene.
