Pittsylvania County fire victim still not identified

The victim who died in a mobile-home fire on Oct. 21 still has not been identified.

The state Medical Examiner’s Office’s Department of Forensic Science is conducting a DNA test on the body to determine the victim’s identity, said Tracie Cooper, district administrator for the Medical Examiner’s Office. The testing could take four weeks or more, Cooper said.

A toxicology report to determine whether fire, smoke inhalation or another factor caused the death could take up to 12 weeks, Cooper said.

The fire originated at a wood stove inside the home at 2164 Sheva Road in Pittsylvania County, fire officials said.

The Gretna Volunteer Fire Department and firefighters and rescue squad members from Chatham re-sponded to the blaze, which was reported at about 10:20 p.m. on Oct 21. 

Gretna Fire Department Sgt. Tyler Roach said last week the home was “fully involved” and partly collapsed when firefighters arrived on the scene. About 25 people responded to the call.

The fire was contained in about 10 minutes. Roach said the body was found underneath a piece of tin that had collapsed.

Neither arson nor foul play is suspected, as the investigation into the cause continues.