BEATTY TWP — As reported in last week’s print edition of the Timberjay, a devastating house fire on July 17 near the west end of Lake Vermilion claimed the lives of two Cook women, according to the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office.
A subsequent release from the sheriff’s office provided additional information about the fire and the victims.
The blaze, reported at approximately 9:20 p.m. that evening, occurred at a residence on the 2700 block of Wakemup Village Road in Beatty Township. When sheriff’s deputies and multiple area fire crews arrived on scene, the structure was already fully engulfed in flames.
Emergency response teams included firefighters from Cook, Orr, Greenwood Township, Kinney-Great Scott, and the Lake Vermilion Fire Brigade. The Cook Ambulance Service was also on hand for medical standby.
Investigators later discovered the bodies of two women inside the home. One of the deceased was identified as Raeann Marie Pry, 69, of Cook. The second woman was believed to be Susan Patricia Hein, 67, also of Cook, but positive identification had not yet been made as of mid-week.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, the Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office was still working to confirm Hein’s identity, and authorities were seeking assistance from the public in locating her next of kin.
The cause and origin of the fire remain undetermined. Officials with the Sheriff’s Office, the State Fire Marshal’s Office, and the Cook Fire Department continue to investigate the incident. At this time, authorities say there is no indication of any suspicious circumstances surrounding the fire or the deaths.