St. Charles authorities say a 47-year-old Avon, South Dakota man was killed in a fire at a St. Charles motel late Thursday evening.
              
St. Charles Police Chief Bill Eckles said the man, whose name was not released, was among four people who were registered at the Downtown Motel at the time the fire was reported at 10:50 p.m.  Eckles said one of the remaining three made it out safely while the other two were not at the motel at the time.
              
He said the state fire marshal's office was called in to the investigate the cause of the blaze.  Eckles said the St. Charles Fire Department battled the fire without any assistance from other departments.
              
When firefighters arrived on the scene flames could be seen coming from the roof and from a window. The fire caused extensive damage.  The American Red Cross of Winona, Wabasha, and Goodhue counties reports its volunteers provided canteen services at the scene for rescue workers as well as lodging for the people displaced by the fire.

Eckles said the investigators were still at the scene of the blaze at 11:00 a.m. Friday.