Staff reports

An autopsy will be conducted at Schneck Medical Center to determine the cause and manner of death of a person inside a residence that burned Saturday in the Freetown area.

Police declined to release the name, age and sex of that person Saturday.

The fire was reported at 4:25 a.m. at a house northwest of Freetown, according to a news release from the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department.

County Reserve Officer Kevin Settle, Brownstown Reserve Officer Blake McCrary and county Officer Mark Holt were the first to respond to the fire. Upon arrival, they reported the house was fully engulfed and part of it had fallen in.

State Fire Marshal Clayton T. Kinder came to the scene and was joined by county Officer Bob Lucas, a crime scene investigator, Sheriff Michael Carothers, county Officer Rob Henley and Coroner Roger Wheeler. Investigators remained at the scene at 2:30 p.m. Saturday.

Pershing Township firefighters responded and were assisted by units from Owen Township and Brownstown Fire Department. Most of the fire was extinguished by 6 a.m.