South Carolina

South Carolina woman found dead after house fire in West Columbia, coroner says

A person was found dead inside of a house in West Columbia after it caught fire, according to a Facebook post by public safety officials in the city.

Lila Ann Gunter, a 65-year-old West Columbia resident, died at the scene, Lexington County Coroner Margaret Fisher said Saturday night.

The fire broke out around 4 a.m. Saturday in the 1600 Block of B Avenue, according to social media posts by the West Columbia fire and police departments.

Gunter was found dead inside the home after the fire was extinguished.

No cause of death has been made public, but Fisher said an autopsy will be performed this week at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston.

The fire and death are being investigated by the coroner’s office, the West Columbia Police Department, as well as the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division.

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This story was originally published September 13, 2025 at 3:42 PM with the headline "South Carolina woman found dead after house fire in West Columbia, coroner says."

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Javon L. Harris
The State
Javon L. Harris is a crime and courts reporter for The State. He is a graduate of the University of Florida and the Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University. Before coming to South Carolina, Javon covered breaking news, local government and social justice for The Gainesville Sun in Florida. Support my work with a digital subscription
Noah Feit
The State
Noah Feit is a Real Time reporter with The State focused on breaking news, public safety and trending news. The award-winning journalist has worked for multiple newspapers since starting his career in 1999. Support my work with a digital subscription
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