MOUNT UPTON – An early morning residential fire claimed the life of a young 16-year-old boy on Wednesday, March 1, at approximately 1:15 a.m.

The Chenango County 911 Center received a report of a structure fire located at 457 State Highway 8 in Mt. Upton.

Deputies responded within minutes of the 911 call, and found the residence to be completely engulfed in flames. Deputies determined that there was a 16-year-old youth who was unable to escape the fire. While still under investigation, the cause of the fire appears to be from a wood stove, which was the main heating source to the residence.