YOUNGSTOWN — Firefighters found the body of a person on the first floor while fighting a fire at a home at 116 Oklahoma Avenue late Thursday. Oklahoma Avenue is just south of downtown and just west of I-680.

Firefighters responded to the 11:13 p.m. fire and were faced with a fully involved two-story home. Crews began to fight the fire on the inside, including search and rescue of occupants.

The owner of the home arrived and informed fire department battalion chiefs that the home was occupied, according to a press release from Youngstown fire investigator Kurt Wright. 

Firefighters discovered that the entire second floor had collapsed onto the first floor, making interior operations very difficult.  Firefighters found the victim, and the Mahoning County Coroner’s Office was notified.

The Coroner’s Office is investigating the cause of death. Wright said the cause of the fire is undermined at this time as the investigation continues.

Because of the severity of damage to the structure, as well as difficult overhaul operations, the Youngstown Street Department was requested for demolition. The fire department left the scene at 4:24 a.m., Wright stated.