The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office says human remains were found on Tuesday morning in the aftermath of Monday’s fire in the Albia town square.
According to a press release, a local medical examiner was contacted and the body will be identified with the assistance of the State Medical Examiner. No names will be released until an identification has been made and the family is notified.
At approximately 8:30 AM on Monday, officials were alerted to heavy smoke billowing out of the R.O. Collins building on the south side of the Albia square. The building housed three businesses on the lower floor and eight apartments on the second floor. Fire crews from Albia, Bussey, Centerville, Chariton, Eddyville, and elsewhere collaborated to extinguish the fire.
Albia Fire Chief John Freshwater says the fire was contained and did not spread to adjacent buildings but one person was unaccounted for.
The cause of the fire remains unknown and is under investigation.
