A person perished in a deadly early-morning fire Sunday in Ramara Township, police say.
"Ramara Township firefighters responded at about 4 a.m. and found a vehicle and house fully engulfed in flames," said Orillia OPP Const. Ted Dongelmans.
Dongelmans said it's not yet certain if the person found inside the home was a male or female.
"It's an ongoing investigation," said Dongelmans, who said nobody else was injured in the blaze.
Ramara Township Fire Chief Tony Stong said the deceased person was one of two occupants in the home; the other person was not injured.
Stong said 28 firefighters were at the scene at the height of the blaze. He said it appears the fire started in the "vehicle/garage" area and said a "quick response" from firefighters meant they were able to extinguish the fire quickly.
There are two investigators and a specialist from the Office of the Ontario Fire Marshal on the scene. They are being assisted by members of the Orillia OPP Crime Unit.
The presence of the crime unit does not necessarily mean the fire is suspicious, said Dongelmans.
"In cases like this, because it's not certain what happened, we partner with the fire marshal to investigate," he said. "We don't believe there is any danger to the public."
Stong said the cause of the fire is "undetermined" pending the outcome of the investigation.
Dongelmans said the fire caused "extensive damage" to the house that is located in the Bonnie Beach area, near McRae Provincial Park in Uptergrove. The vehicle, which was parked outside, adjacent to the garage, was also severely damaged.
Stong pegged a "rough estimate of the damage" at about $200,000 and noted the home is not habitable.
A post-mortem on the deceased victim is expected to happen Monday. Dongelmans said no other information is being released.
