CASSOPOLIS — A house fire Monday evening in Porter Township resulted in the death of a White Pigeon woman, but Cass County Sheriff Joseph M. Underwood Jr. said Arlene Kern, 64, died at the scene from circumstances unrelated to the blaze.
Deputies responded to the fire in the 68000 block of Suszek Road, just south of U.S. 12, at 5:46 p.m. Monday.
The fire began after Henry Kern, 36, of White Pigeon, started a fire in the wood-burning stove.
During the course of the fire, the propane tank caused an explosion. Henry Kern escaped from the house unharmed.
Arlene Kern, and Rondell Kern, 68, of White Pigeon, arrived home just as the fire began.
Porter Fire and Ambulance, Edwardsburg Ambulance, Life Care Ambulance, Air Care, Newberg Fire, White Pigeon Fire and Constantine Fire assisted deputies in the southeastern corner of Cass County at the scene of the fire, which remains under investigation.