A house fire Monday evening took the life of one of the occupants and destroyed much of the home south of Stilson.

Bulloch County coroner Chuck Francis said Tuesday that he has tentatively identified the victim as Patricia Woods, who lived in the house with her husband on Akins Circle Extension, off Arcola Road and Mud Road.

"Her body was sent to the GBI Crime Lab for official confirmation of her identity, because she was burned beyond recognition," Francis said. "She and her husband were the only residents of the home. He was able to escape the fire and he said his wife was the one trapped in the house."

Francis was unsure how long it would take for the GBI Lab in Pooler to complete an autopsy and confirm the victim is Patricia Woods.

"They do the autopsies in the order they are received and according to priority," Francis said.

Crime scene investigators with the Bulloch County Sheriff's Office came to the scene as a standard response when there is a fatality. Capt. Todd Hutchens said Tuesday that no foul play is suspected in the fire.

Bulloch County Fire Department Chief Ben Tapley said a 911 call was received about 7:30 p.m. Monday.

"We were dispatched to a structure fire with possible entrapment," Tapley said. "The first engine arrived on the scene about 13 minutes later and found a residence fully involved."

Tapley said a man at the scene said his wife was still inside their home. 

"We commenced trying to put out the fire and going inside the house, as possible, to try to find her," he said.

Tapley said the intense fire collapsed the two-story structure.

"Unfortunately, they did find her. That's when we called the coroner and investigators."

Tapley said firefighters waited until the body was removed and photos taken before putting out the final hot spots at the house. 

"We went back in service about 1 a.m.," he said.

Tapley said a total of five engines, six tankers, a ladder truck, a battalion truck, two support vehicles and "a lot of volunteers" responded to the scene.

Tapley said Tuesday that no preliminary cause of the fire could be determined

"The investigation started last night," he said. "We had our investigator, our prevention chief Joe Carter, two state fire marshals and, of course, investigators from the Sheriff's Office. The investigators will be out there again Tuesday."