Body found in Ironwood house

By RALPH ANSAMI

[email protected]

Ironwood — The body of a person who had been dead for perhaps years was found Monday afternoon in a house that’s being considered for demolition in Ironwood.

The Ironwood Public Safety Department issued a Tuesday news release saying the human remains were discovered around 4 p.m. Monday in a home that was being inspected for demolition this summer.

The IPSD was notified by city building inspector Dennis Hewitt when the body was found.

It appears as if the person might have owned the house, according to IPSD Director Andrew DiGiorgio.

Identification of the remains was pending as of Tuesday, as the Gogebic County Medical Examiner’s office continued to assist in the investigation.

DiGiorgio said foul play is not suspected, but the incident remains under investigation by the IPSD and medical examiner.

The location of the house and other information was being withheld pending notification of next of kin, which appeared to be a difficult task for the IPSD, considering the situation.

The house was on the city’s list of eyesores being considered for demolition under the latest grant round from the state of Michigan.

Inspection of the houses is part of the process to prepare for contractors to submit bids under the “Hardest Hit” blight grant program.