Clallam County – One person is dead following an early-morning house fire east of Port Angeles Friday.

Clallam 2 Fire Rescue responded to a report of a structure fire with potentially two occupants still inside at Hauk Road and Kemp Street at around 05:20AM. They arrived to find a fully involved garage with fire spreading into the house. Mutual Aid was received from Port Angeles Fire and Fire District 3.

Firefighters entered the home and conducted an aggressive search for occupants. No occupants were found. A second search of the living area was performed and again, they report no occupants were found.

As the building became unstable and the intensity of the fire grew, the decision was made to withdraw and transition to a defensive fire attack.

The fire was declared under control by 9:30. Further investigation turned up a victim of the fire, found in the breezeway between the house and the garage. Clallam Sheriffs department and the Coroner are handling that part of the investigation.

Investigators from Fire District 3 are conducting the cause and origin investigation.