By Jalen Maki
Tomahawk Leader Co-Editor
MERRILL – One person is dead and another is injured following a house fire in the City of Merrill on Saturday, Jan. 25.
Around 10 a.m., the Merrill Fire Department responded to a house fire in the 1500 block of River Street in Merrill. Firefighters attempted to rescue a 37-year-old male who was trapped in the house, but were unsuccessful due to heavy smoke and fire conditions. The man died in the fire, the department said.
A woman was injured while escaping the fire and was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital in Merrill before being transferred by Spirit Medical Transport to the University of Wisconsin-Madison Burn Center. The family’s pet is unaccounted for.
The cause of the fire is under investigation. It is unknown whether the home had working smoke detectors at the time of the fire.
As of press time, names of the victims and the condition of the injured female had not been released.