A Rome resident tragically perished in a house fire Wednesday afternoon in the Garden Lakes neighborhood. Rome/Floyd 911 dispatch received the call reporting the structure fire, prompting a rapid response from the Rome-Floyd Fire Division. According to Fire Division Chief Jamie Stone, initial reports suggested a person may be trapped inside the single-story residence. The first unit arrived on the scene at 4:30 PM, encountering heavy smoke and flames emanating from the home. Firefighters immediately launched an interior attack while simultaneously conducting a search for any occupants. Crews located one adult inside the structure and quickly extracted the individual. Tragically, the victim succumbed to injuries sustained during the fire. As of Wednesday night, authorities were withholding the victim’s name pending notification of next of kin.  Chief Stone confirmed that a representative from the State Fire Marshal’s Office is assisting with the investigation into the cause of the fire, which remains ongoing. Further details will be released as they become available.