BY TERRY AHNER

tahner@tnonline.com

A woman is dead after an early morning fire in Jim Thorpe.

Borough fire Chief Vince Yaich said the initial call came it at 12:56 a.m. as a working dwelling fire with entrapment at a house at 1401 Mauch Chunk Lane, off 13th Street in the borough.

Yaich said firefighters arrived on scene and encountered heavy fire coming out of the front of the residence.

He said two or three people lived in the house, jumped off the back roof, and one occupant was still inside.

Yaich said firefighters gained access to the rear of the property, located the victim, and took her to the medics.

Carbon County Coroner Robert Miller confirmed a woman died as a result of the fire. Her name was not released.

Miller said the woman was transported to Lehigh Valley Hospital for an autopsy.

Yaich said the other three people, believed to be a man, woman, and young child, were transported to Lehigh Valley-Cedar Crest for evaluation of smoke inhalation and being out in the weather.

He said state police fire marshals were on scene this morning to do the initial investigation.

Yaich said the home is a total loss, and that it took firefighters about an hour to bring the fire under control.

He said firefighters remained on scene for about another hour overhauling and putting out hot spots.

Yaich said the last unit left the scene at around 4:30 a.m.

He said also assisting at the scene were the Lehighton Fire Department, Mahoning Valley Fire Department, Nesquehoning Fire Department, Lansford Fire Department, Penn Forest Fire Department, Weatherly RIT, and Lehighton Ambulance.

“The guys did a great job; the mutual aid companies got there, their response was really quick,” Yaich said. “They got to rotate crews in and out so the other crews could rehab.”