A 72-year-old rural Huey woman died in an explosion and fire at her home Sunday morning.
Clinton County Coroner Phillip Moss identifies the victim as Judith Schultz of Carrigan Drive north of Huey. An autopsy will be scheduled for Tuesday or Wednesday to determine the cause of death.
Huey-Boulder-Ferrin Fire Chief Sonny Revermann says a firefighter who lives next door heard an explosion and said flames quickly engulfed the home. Without any gear and being alone, the fire was too large to go inside to try and rescue Schultz. Her adult grandson who was in the residence was able to get out on his own and was taken to a St. Louis Hospital for treatment of burn injuries.
Moss and Revermann say the cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Coroner’s Office, State Fire Marshal, and the Illinois Commerce Commission due to the possibility of a natural gas leak being involved.
Sandoval, Hoffman, and Carlyle Firemen were all called for mutual aid assistance. Revermann says the home is a complete loss. The fire scene had to be cooled before the body of the victim could be recovered. The fire call came in at 8:18 Sunday morning. Schultz was pronounced dead by the coroner at the scene at 10:54 am.
