RIPLEY – A house fire Tuesday afternoon in Ripley has claimed the life of one person who lived in the home. The Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office says fire crews from Ripley were called to a home at 108 W. Main St. shortly after 4 p.m. to respond to a reported house fire. When crews entered the home they found 61 year old Kevin Lantz inside. Lantz was taken to Westfield Memorial Hospital where he died a short time later.
The Sheriff’s office says an investigation found an electronic device accidentally caught fire inside the home, and Lantz was able to get it out of the home before the fire spread further. However, he went back inside and was unable to come back out due to smoke inhalation.
The investigation is continuing, but the cause appears accidental. Ripley received assistance from the Sherman and Westfield Fire Departments.
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