Taylorsville woman dies in early morning fire

TAYLORSVILLE — A 77-year-old Taylorsville woman died in a house fire reported at 3:40 a.m. Monday at 1142 Charles St.

The Bartholomew County Coroner’s office identified the victim as Joyce Rodgers, 77, who was believed to be the only person inside the residence at the time neighbors reported the fire.

Bartholomew County Coroner Clayton Nolting said cause and manner of death are pending in the continuing investigation.

Bartholomew County Fire Inspector Gene Wever was at the scene Monday as part of the investigation.

German Township firefighters said when they arrived at the scene, they found heavy fire coming from about half of the house.

Nearby neighbors told firefighters that someone was possibly entrapped in the bedroom, where fire was visible.

Firefighters said they attacked the fire through the bedroom window and the front door in order to get to the interior of the home and get the fire under control.

Once the fire was under control, firefighters found the victim inside the house, and Nolting pronounced her dead at the scene.

There were no fire hydrants near the home and firefighters used tankers to transport water to the scene from Taylorsville Elementary School, which has hydrant access.

German Township firefighters said the cause of the fire remains under investigation. It is unknown at this time whether the home had smoke detectors, firefighters said.

Assisting at the scene were firefighters from Edinburgh, Columbus Township, Clifford, Amity, Flat Rock, Harrison Township and Hope, along with the Columbus Regional Health ambulance service and the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department.