UPDATE: Woman Killed in Fire at Sheffield Condominiums

Editor's note: this story was updated at 12:17 p.m.

A woman was the sole victim of a deadly fire at The Sheffield Condominiums early this morning on Kent's west side.

The Ohio Fire Marshal's Office confirmed that an adult female died in the blaze, which started at about 1:30 a.m. in unit 104 of the complex at 760 W. Main St.

The victim's name and age have not yet been confirmed and released by the Ohio Fire Marshal's Office, which is investigating the fire with the Kent Police Department and Kent Fire Department.

Shane Cartmill, a spokesperson for the fire marshal's office, said in an email the fire started in the living room of unit 104.

"Investigators say the fire completely destroyed the living room of (unit) 104 and caused heavy heat and smoke damage throughout the rest of that apartment," Cartmill said. "The remainder of the building suffered little damage."

A second occupant of the condominium, believed by neighbors to be the victim's husband, escaped the fire without injury. There were no smoke alarms in the unit, according to the fire marshal's office.

An insurance agent for the complex who visited this morning to see the destruction said they're unsure how much damage the fire caused because they haven't been able to get into the damaged unit yet. Condominiums that appeared to have smoke damage included units 103, 105, 203 and 204.

The windows and door to the unit where the fire started are boarded up. Smoke caused heavy damage to the balcony and units directly above the fire.

Amanda Lowther, a resident of the 21-unit complex, provided respite to her neighbors who lived directly above the fire-damaged condo this morning.

"They're pretty shooken up," Lowther said. "They said that the flames were shooting out. By the time we got downstairs and they evacuated us we just saw a big ball of smoke."

Lowther said they weren't allowed back into their units at the far southern end of the complex, a few hundred feet from the fire, until after Kent fire officials inspected each unit for possible damage. She said the Portage County Red Cross had already provided temporary housing for the neighbors directly adjacent to the fire.

"One thing's for sure, Kent has the fastest response for anything," Lowther said.

She said they were allowed back into their condo just before 3 a.m. after rushing into the cold night at about 1:30 a.m.