Authorities identify victim in Henry house fire

HENRY, Tenn. — The Henry County Sheriff’s Office has identified the victim in a Wednesday morning house fire that left one woman dead.

Sheriff Monte Belew said that 97-year-old Jane Cole was found in her home after the Henry Fire Department responded to a house fire around 8:40 a.m.

Lumber Road was blocked off for much of the morning as firefighters worked to save the home.

“When they arrived, they got the fire under control,” Henry County Sheriff’s Department Lt. Lance Perry said. “Once it was controlled, they went in and discovered the victim inside the front door.”

The State Fire Marshal’s Office has taken over the investigation.

Officials say the electricity was already off due to the power outage from the storms early Wednesday morning.

Authorities said the victim was dead when they got to the home.

One neighbor said he has lived just down the road his entire life and went to church with Cole every Sunday.

“She was a nice person, got along with everybody and we went to church every Sunday,” Robert Patterson said.

Patterson said she had a green thumb and was often seen working outside.

“Everybody always see her out in the yard and she always go down to church and do a lot of yard work, and she was always out here doing a lot of yard work and stuff. She will be missed in the neighborhood,” Patterson said.

The State Fire Marshal’s Office said their investigation is ongoing.

One of the senior firefighters with the Henry Fire Department said this is the first fatal fire he has seen in his 40 years of serving Henry.