Updated: January 8, 2018

A COLBERT COUNTY WOMAN IS DEAD AFTER AN EARLY MORNING FIRE ON SUNDAY. ACCORDING TO THE TIMES DAILY, EMERGENCY PERSONNEL RESPONDED TO A REPORT OF STRUCTURE FIRE JUST BEFORE 3 AM AT A RESIDENCE ON FOURTH AVENUE IN TUSCUBMIA. UPON ARRIVAL, HALF OF THE MANUFACTURED HOME WAS FULLY INVOLVED. INITIAL REPORTS INDICATE, GILDA STONE, 69, WAS A SLEEP IN THE HOME AT THE TIME AND HER GRANDSON WAS STAYING THERE WITH HER. THE GRANDSON GOT UP WHEN HE HEARD THE FIRE AND TRIED TO PUT IT OUT BEFORE RUNNING OUTSIDE. STONE RAN INTO THE BATHROOM WHERE SHE WAS LATER FOUND. FIREFIGHTERS WORKED OVER SIX HOURS AND USED 16,000 GALLONS OF WATER TRYING TO PUT THE FLAMES OUT. STONE WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE AND THE BODY WILL BE TAKEN TO THE ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF FORENSICS. THE FIRE REMAINS UNDER INVESTIGATION.