Body found 14 hours after Decatur fire was of resident

DECATUR, Ill. (AP) - Authorities say a body found inside a central Illinois home more than 14 hours after it was destroyed by fire was that of a 67-year-old woman who lived there.

The Macon County Coroner's Office says the preliminary cause of death for Bertha Harden was carbon monoxide inhalation from the smoke and soot generated by Friday's fire in Decatur. The Herald & Review reports an autopsy performed Saturday found no signs of foul play.

Harden's husband, Robert, said he left for work around 7 a.m. Friday, about an hour before firefighters were called to the home. He said he last saw his wife in the house and that he'd been unable to reach her.

Firefighters found the body about 10:40 p.m. Friday. Officials say the fire's cause remained under investigation.

___

Information from: Herald & Review, http://www.herald-review.com