Smoke billows from a home on 230th Street near Ainsworth Thursday afternoon. Photo by Sally Y. Hart

A man is dead following a house fire in rural Ainsworth Thursday. Washington County Sheriff Jerry Dunbar tells KCII News the State Fire Marshal was called due to the death of 69-year-old Charles Arthur Darby. He adds the fire marshal is still investigating the cause of the fire.

At 1:55 p.m. crews responded to the two story home at 2845 230th Street, near Tulip Avenue. As heard live from the scene on KCII, smoke was billowing out of the house from the second floor windows and from a hole that was cut into the roof.

Ainsworth Fire Department, Washington Fire Department, Riverside Fire Department, Washington County Ambulance and Washington County Sheriff’s personnel responded to the scene.