KIRBYVILLE, Mo. – A man died in a house fire on Norman Road on Tuesday morning. Firefighters rescued William Crutchfield after searching for him with a thermal imaging camera while other firefighters were trying to put out the fire. Medical rescue personnel couldn’t resuscitate Crutchfield however, and he died at the scene.
Firefighters from Central Taney County and Western Taney County fire districts got the call just before noon. Heavy smoke was coming from the home when they arrived. Dispatchers told firefighters that someone might be inside, so they were looking for the victim.
Firefighters contained the fire to one end of the home. An investigator from the State Fire Marshal’s Office went to the scene to try to determine a cause.
The Taney County coroner says Southwest Missouri Forensics in Nixa will do an autopsy on Tuesday to try to determine how Crutchfield died.
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Joe Daues, KSPR News, contributed to this report.
