UPDATE – Identity of Man Who Died In Mobile Home Fire Released

UPDATE 12:00 noon, Friday.

Missoula County Sheriff and Coroner T.J. McDermott has released the name of the man who died as the result of a structure fire on Mount Avenue late Thursday night.

The victim was identified as 71 year-old Kenneth Richardson of Missoula. The cause and manner of Richardson's death will be released following the completion of an autopsy and toxicology report.

McDermott said his office is working closely with investigators from Missoula Rural Fire to determine the cause of Thursday night's fatal fire.

UPDATE - 12:00 a.m. Friday

Missoula Rural Fire Chief Bill Colwell has confirmed that a body was recovered from the mobile home that burned on Thursday night..

Colwell said the male victim was alone in the home when it caught fire, and the Missoula County Sheriff's Office has been contacting family members. The man's name has not yet been released.

At about 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Missoula Rural Fire responded to a mobile home structure fire located at 4404 Mount Avenue.

Chief Bill Colwell said before crews arrived it was reported that someone may have been in the trailer, however, it was determined that the conditions inside the structure were not survivable, so firefighters were not able to enter the structure due to safety factors.

Crews from four stations responded with two Type One engines, two water tenders, a command vehicle, along with two support vehicles, with 19 firefighters.

Colwell said the crews worked in extremely difficult conditions to battle the blaze. Missoula Emergency Services and the Missoula County Sheriff's Office Chaplain are on the scene talking with family members of the home's resident.

Colwell said no entry will be made until conditions are safe enough for firefighters. One crew remains at the scene at this time The age or gender of the individual inside the burned trailer was not known.