A house fire in rural Jasper County near Colfax leaves one person dead

One unidentified individual died in a rural home fire in Jasper County on Saturday.

Late Saturday night, Jasper County officials received a call about a house fire just south of Colfax. Flames engulfed the home when firefighters arrived, according to a news release from the Jasper County Sheriff's Office. As firefighters worked to extinguish the fire, they learned it was believed that an individual was still inside the home, the release said.

Agencies from Baxter, Knoxville, Mingo, Mitchellville, Monroe, Newton, Prairie City, the Iowa State Fire Marshal's Office and the Jasper County Sheriff's Office worked with the Colfax Fire Department through the night to put out the fire and search for the person, the release said, but they were slowed by the fire's heat and the need for heavy equipment to remove debris.

At 10:45 a.m. on Sunday, officials found the body of an individual in the basement of the home. According to the release, the body was taken to the Iowa State Examiner's office in Ankeny for identification and autopsy.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.

Kyle Werner is a reporter for the Register. Reach him at kwerner@dmreg.com.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: A house fire kills a person in rural Jasper County, Iowa, near Colfax