An individual died after a fireplace at a St. Paul home, the primary fire fatality of the yr in town, the fireplace department said Wednesday.

Fire crews responded to a report of a structure fire within the 1000 block of North Western Avenue within the North End at 12:37 p.m. Tuesday. Someone walking by saw smoke coming from a window of a house and called 911.

Firefighters quickly found an individual contained in the home. They brought the person outside and commenced resuscitation efforts within the front yard. Paramedics brought the victim to a hospital and the patient was later pronounced dead, the fireplace department said.

Two pets died in the house and one escaped when firefighters forced entry inside.

Firefighters quickly extinguished the fireplace, though they were on the scene for greater than three hours.

The hearth is under investigation.