An early-morning fire Tuesday took the life of a Statesboro woman at her home on North Main St.

Bulloch County Coroner Richard Pylant said 70-year-old Margaret Skinner was pronounced dead at the scene after firefighters with the Statesboro Fire Department pulled her out of her bedroom. A helicopter was initially called to fly her to the Burn Care Center at Doctor’s Hospital in Augusta, but continued attempts to revive her were unsuccessful.

Pylant said Skinner’s death was the first fire fatality in Bulloch since Mike Humphrey was the victim of an accidental fire at his Bel-Air home in December 2018. He said Skinner died due to the effects of the fire and no autopsy would be needed because no foul play is suspected in the starting of the fire.

Statesboro Fire Chief Tim Grams said the preliminary assessment of the cause of the fire is “it seems to be electrical in nature. We’ll do more investigation and pinpoint it, but certainly nothing intentional.”

Grams said the department received the call about 4:40 a.m. that smoke was coming from the house at 224 North Main St., just north of Parker’s on Northside Drive.

“Crews pulled up and found heavy smoke from the structure,” Grams said. “They were able to make an aggressive fire attack and contain the fire to one area of the house and extinguish it.

“As they were in the midst of fighting the fire, the husband said he didn’t see his wife outside and at that time we deducted there may be someone still inside.”

Grams said a subsequent search did locate Margaret Skinner and she was taken outside, but soon passed away.

“It is a tragedy and our prayers are with Mr. Skinner and their family,” Grams said.