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UPDATE: Cooking caused deadly Richmond fire

Posted at 6:37 AM, Jan 08, 2014
and last updated 2014-01-14 13:18:21-05

UPDATE:  Fire investigators ruled the cause cause of the North Avenue fire as accidental and was the result of cooking (not unattended), Richmond Fire Lt. Robbie Hagaman said.  The man who died in the fire was identified as 57-year-old Carlton L. Powell.

RICHMOND, Va. (WTVR) - One person is dead after Richmond firefighters responded to an apartment fire on the 3200 block of North Avenue.

Firefighters arrived on scene just before midnight and saw smoke coming out of a two-story home, renovated to be used as apartments, Richmond Fire Department spokesman Lt. Robbie Hagaman said. When firefighters went inside, they found one dead adult on the second floor of the building.

At this time investigators have not been able to confirm an age or gender of the victim.

The fire was brought under control in less than 30 minutes, but several people were displaced. The Red Cross is working to assist them.

Right now fire officials believe the fire started in the kitchen, but an investigation is on going.