One person is dead following a house fire Saturday morning in rural Saline County.
According to Harrisburg Fire Chief John Quisenberry, firefighters were dispatched at approximately 11:25 a.m. to a fully involved structure fire south of Rudement.
Before emergency crews arrived, the fire spread to a second structure, prompting requests for additional firefighting assistance.
One victim was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities have not released the victim’s identity pending notification of family members.
The Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal has been called in to investigate the cause of the fire.
Responding agencies included the Harrisburg, Carrier Mills, Eldorado, Equality, and Rural Pope County fire departments.
The investigation remains ongoing, and no additional information has been released.