Woman killed in 'suspicious' Columbia house fire. Investigators determining cause

One person was killed in a house fire in Columbia on Monday night, according to officials.

The fire happened around 10:30 p.m. Monday on Carver Street, according to Mike DeSumma, spokesman for the Columbia Fire Department. That's in northeast Columbia, just off West Beltline Boulevard near Farrow Road.

When firefighters put out the flames, they found a woman inside of the burned building, according to a Columbia Police Department statement

Francena Willingham, 68, was found dead, according to the police statement. Results of her autopsy are still pending, but investigators did not find any signs of foul play yet.

Willingham was the only person inside the house at the time, Jenkins said.

Chief Aubrey Jenkins said Tuesday afternoon that the cause and origin of the fire remain under investigation, and that fire investigators are awaiting the final results the autopsy to learn more. The Columbia police statement called the fire "suspicious."

The Columbia Fire Department is still investigating the cause of the fire. The Columbia Police Department and the State Law Enforcement Division are assisting in the investigation.

This was the fourth fire in that area of Columbia in recent months, according to DeSumma.

This story was originally published June 19, 2018 at 5:13 AM with the headline "Woman killed in 'suspicious' Columbia house fire. Investigators determining cause."