(Update 3:35-a.m.)

One person is dead, another was critically injured during a house fire Wednesday night, in Atlantic. Firefighters were called to 604 Olive Street (Denise’s Taxi Service)at around 10:08-p.m. Prior to arriving, they were informed there were people inside the home, as a deputy heard someone hollering for help.Neighbors told KJAN News they heard a loud “pop” or “bang” before they looked out and saw flames shooting from the building.

Ric Hanson (photo)

The first crews on the scene reported heavy smoke and flames coming from the structure. The smoke could be seen for a long distance in town on he clear, calm and very cold night. The body of an unconscious woman was removed from the home’s upstairs just before 10:30-pm. Firefighters were performing CPR on her before she was transported by Medivac ambulance to the Cass County Memorial Hospital, in Atlantic. The woman was later flown to another hospital.

It took firefighters about 30-minutes more to locate the body of a deceased male who was also in the house. His body remained in the home until early this (Thursday) morning, while investigators with the State Fire Marshal’s Office combed through the scene trying to determine a cause for the fire. Atlantic Fire Chief Mark McNees told KJAN News flames apparently spread from the basement to the first floor and into a second floor bedroom.The Chief said there were numerous combustible materials inside the home which made getting the flames knocked down and the victims found, difficult.

Firefighters left the scene at around 3:20-a.m. Atlantic Street Department crews were asked to salt and sand the street in front of the home, as the water used to fight the fire had created extremely icy conditions for pedestrians and motorists alike. The names of the victims have not yet been released.