Emergency crews respond to a house fire northwest of Ainsworth last week. Photo by Sally Y. Hart

The cause of death for a man found dead in an Ainsworth house fire has been determined. According to the Iowa State Fire Marshal, 69-year-old Charles “Chuck” Darby died of smoke inhalation in a house fire northwest of Ainsworth March 31st. The home was a single family residence and smoke alarms were working. So far this year in Iowa there have been 19 fire fatalities.