A house on Sixth Street in Oswego burned down on Monday, taking the life of one occupant.

Edward Babcock, who lived in one of the apartments within the building, 96 Sixth St., died in the flames that occurred around 1 a.m. A neighbor, Kimberly Smith, reported the fire to the Oswego City Police Department.

“When I first called the police, the fire had engulfed the front second-floor apartment,” Smith said. “By the time the police arrived, the fire had taken over most of the second floor of the house.”

Randy Griffin, fire chief for the city of Oswego, said the bulk of the flames were extinguished within 15 minutes of the fire department’s arrival on scene.

Griffin said the building had five apartments. Three of them were occupied at the time.

Babcock lived alone in the front apartment, while two men who escaped lived in the rear apartment and a family of three lived in the lower apartment.

The fire, as well as cause of death for Babcock, remains under investigation.

Photo: Kimberly Smith