St. Elmo Authorities Investigating Fatal House Fire (IDENTIFYING VICTIM)

Authorities are investigating a fatal house fire in St. Elmo.

The fire call came at 8:40am Friday to 114 South Elm. The fire was brought under control within 40 minutes.

Fayette County Coroner Dave Harris identified the man killed in the fire as 77-year-old Ralph Kent Janes. Harris said no further information is being released at this time, pending an autopsy, which is scheduled for Saturday. 

Kent Janes was a longtime member of the St. Elmo media and has taken literally thousands of photos of news and sports happenings in the St. Elmo community.

St. Elmo Fire Chief Doug Engeljohn said the fire began "in the living room floor" of the single-story structure. He said there was damage to the floor and the floor joists, and smoke throughout the structure, but it is still standing.

Engeljohn said he and an official from the Illinois State Fire Marshal's Office are terming the cause of the fire as "undetermined". 

St. Elmo firefighters were also assisted by Altamont Fire Chief Jon Becker, Illinois State Police Crime Scene Services, the Fayette County Coroner's Office, the Fayette County Sheriff's Department, St. Elmo Police, and Rural Med Ambulance.