Man dies in Newbury fire on Friday morning

NEWBURY, Vt. — A man was killed after he went back into a burning home early Friday morning.

James Lacount, 77, of Newbury, was among the residents of a home at 2464 Bowen Road who initially escaped the fire. But he went back into the home to retrieve car keys in the hope of moving a vehicle away the fire, according to a news release from Vermont State Police.

The Newbury and Corinth fire departments were called out at 2:15 Friday morning. By the time they arrived the structure was fully engulfed.

The state Department of Public Safety’s Fire and Explosion Investigation Unit found Lacount’s remains in a first floor bedroom. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Burlington will conduct an autopsy.

The fire damage impeded efforts to determine the origin and cause of the fire. It does not appear to be the result of a criminal act, authorities said.

The American Red Cross and State Police Victim services are currently assisting the family.