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Chilhowee Man Dies In Fire

09/25/2012

A structure fire early Saturday morning in Johnson County killed a Chilhowee man.

 The Johnson County Sheriff's Office was dispatched to the scene at 100 North Rock Island Road at around 7:20 AM, where they discovered the home consumed in heavy smoke, and a man lying unconscious outside in the yard. Deputies made contact with a neighbor, who stated that he had pulled the victim, 54-year old Karl D. Preston, out of the structure upon noticing the smoke and breaking down the front door and observing him lying face down in a hallway. He managed to remove Preston from the home, and laid him on the ground awaiting paramedics.

 Despite attempts to resuscitate the victim by Sheriff's Deputies and Medical authorities, he was pronounced dead at the scene by members of the Johnson County Coroner's Office.

 Preston was transported to Kansas City for an autopsy, and the Missouri State Fire Marshall's Office is investigating the cause of the fire.