Woman killed in house fire in rural Johnson County; investigation ongoing

JOHNSON COUNTY — A woman was killed Sunday afternoon in a house fire in rural Johnson County, according to fire officials.

35 firefighters from the Bargersville Fire Department and seven other fire departments were called to the house fire with a report of someone trapped inside around 12:15 p.m. in the 1400 block of County Road 700 West. This is about six miles southwest of Bargersville.

Crews arrived in 13 minutes and saw heavy black smoke several miles away, BFD Deputy Fire Chief Michael Pruitt said in a press release.

The woman was found dead inside, Pruitt said. She has been identified as Helen Doyle, 87, of Morgantown. Doyle lived in the home with two other family members who weren't home at the time of the fire.

The family told firefighters the home had working smoking alarms, Pruitt said.

Pruitt says Doyle's cause of death is still pending autopsy results.

The fire is still under investigation by investigators from the Bargersville and White Township fire departments, Johnson County Sheriff's Office and the Indiana State Fire Marshals Office.