Investigators with the State Fire Marshal’s Office have been called in to determine the cause of a house fire that claimed the life of a woman Saturday morning at a home located at 227 Adams Street in Atmore.

According to Atmore Fire Chief Gerry McGhee, the fire began at approximately 5 a.m.

McGhee said firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze quickly, but were unable to save the home’s sole occupant, identified by family members on the scene as Mildred Jackson.

“We responded and it took us about 10 to 15 minutes (to put out the fire),” McGhee said.

Patrick Finley was on the scene and said Jackson was his elderly aunt and was in the home alone at the time of the fire.

“She was just a real sweet lady,” Finley said.

Carlton Johnson lives in the same neighborhood as Jackson and said she was a generous woman who loved to cook for her family and neighbors.

“If she had it, you had it,” Johnson said. “She was a sweet lady and a good cook. We’re going to miss her groceries.”

“She was just very sweet and we’ll miss her,” neighbor Tameka Johnson said.

McGhee said the cause of the fire has not been determined, but will be released following an investigation.

Atmore Fire Department, Poarch Fire Department, Atmore Police Department and Atmore Ambulance Service responded to the scene.