Woman perishes in fire

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  • A fire at this Franklin Place apartment on Sunday is responsible for a local woman's death, local officials believe..
    A fire at this Franklin Place apartment on Sunday is responsible for a local woman's death, local officials believe..
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An accidental house fire killed a local woman in Hartwell on Sunday.

Sharon Montgomery, 62, of Hartwell, died Sunday, Nov. 15 at apartment 304 in 84 West Franklin Place after her residence caught on fire.

The Office of Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John F. King announced Monday morning state investigators determined the fire was accidental.

“Our investigators were contacted by the City of Hartwell Fire Department and determined that this fire was accidental. We believe the fire started in the living room and dining room area of the apartment," King said in a press release.

The Hartwell Fire Department responded to the blaze around 10 a.m. Sunday.

Hart County coroner Mike Adams confirmed the death and said Montgomery was found inside the residence.

Montgomery was transported to the GBI crime lab for an autopsy, Adams said.

Minimal damage was visible outside of the residence, which is part of the Hartwell Housing Authority, but a witness told The Sun there was severe smoke damage inside the residence.

Commissioner King’s State Fire Investigations Unit continues to work with the City of Hartwell Fire Department and the City of Hartwell Police Department on this case.

Sunday's fire death marks the 74th fire fatality in Georgia this year.