Investigators with the State Fire Marshall’s Office have been unable to determine the cause of the Christmas Eve house fire that killed a 20-year-old Selma man and injured his mother.

According to reports, the fire at 2414 Montague Street apparently broke out in the kitchen shortly after midnight on Dec. 24.

Selma Fire Chief Henry Allen said the two residents of the home, Jacqueline Williams and her son Jay, were both asleep at the time the fire occurred.

“When the fire started, (Jacqueline Williams) woke up and managed to get out of the house,” Allen said. “Someone called the fire department and said that another person was still trapped inside.”

Allen said firefighters were directed to the room where Jay Williams was last seen sleeping and managed to pull him from the burning building.

Rescuers attempted CPR on the victim and Haynes ambulance was called.

“(Jay Williams) was transported to the hospital, where he was later pronounced dead,” Allen said.

Allen said this was the first fire death in Selma in two years.

Jacqueline Williams was also taken to Vaughan Regional Medical Center, where she was treated for smoke inhalation and later released.

Allen said the damage to the kitchen was too extensive for investigators to determine what caused the fire.

He added that the stove door in the kitchen was open and it appeared the Williams’ were using the stove to heat the home.

“There was not a direct conclusion that this is what caused the fire,” Allen said.

Allen said it is not uncommon for some residents to use unconventional ways to find heat when they do not have their gas or electricity turned on.

“Once the temperatures start dropping, people will use any method they can to keep warm,” Allen said.