A Hempstead County woman, according to Hempstead County Sheriff James Singleton, is the likely victim of a house fire in Fulton that occurred Monday morning.

At 9:28 a.m. on Monday, January 27, railroad employees noticed a house engulfed in flames in the 100 block of Hempstead 188 and called 911. Hempstead County Deputies, and firefighters from Fulton and Guernsey Fire Departments and Pafford EMS were dispatched to the residence. They arrived on scene to find the residence off Evelyn Sampson and Anthony Sampson fully engulfed and already collapsed. While firefighters worked on putting out the fire, deputies attempted to make contact with the residents but were unable to find them on scene.

Sheriff Singleton said deputies spoke with a neighbor who said she hear a couple of loud explosions and looked outside to see the Sampons’ house on fire. Deputies were able to make contact with family members on scene who said they made contact with Anthony Sampson and were told that his mother, Evelyn, was at home when he left for work.

Once firefighters were able to enter what was left of the house and search, firefighter Frankie Ingersol found a body lying face down near the door at the southwest corner off the house.

Sheriff’s Department Investigator Jeremy McBride was contacted to investigate and Coroner David Peters to handle the deceased person. Coroner Peters called an official time of death at 11:27 a.m. but, according to the Sheriff, no positive identification was able to be made.

Sheriff Singleton said family members are certain the person located inside was Mrs. Sampson but the body had to be sent to the Arkansas State Crime Lab for positive identification.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.