MIDDLETOWN – An early Saturday morning fire at 11 Starhaven Avenue in Middletown claimed the life of one person, city fire officials said.

The two-alarm fire was initially called in at around 12:50 a.m.

The victim was removed during fire suppression operations, provided immediate medical care, but died from injuries. The victim’s identity was not immediately released pending notification of relatives.

Three firefighters wee evaluated and treated at the scene for minor injuries. Two members of the police department were transported to Garnet Health Medical Center for treatment of smoke inhalation.

The preliminary cause of the fire appears to be an overloaded power strip, but the incident remains under investigation, authorities said.

The fire was brought under control in about an hour, but crews remained on the scene for overhaul and investigation  until about 4 a.m.

Assisting in the operations were Middletown Police, Empress Ambulance Service, Slate Hill and Goshen fire departments. Additional coverage was provided by Mechanicstown, Silver Lake and Circleville fire departments.