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Photos of the home where singer-songwriter Jill Sobule was found dead were released Friday, revealing extensive fire damage to the Woodbury, Minn., residence.
The blaze, which broke out early Thursday morning, blew out the home’s front windows, scorched the exterior, and caused much of the roof to collapse. The most severe damage appeared concentrated around the central entrance, where the window above was completely destroyed, exposing a gutted interior.
The images show smoke-blackened siding near the front door and fire damage stretching across the second floor. The street-facing portion of the shingled roof was visibly buckled, while the rest appeared to have caved in entirely. The right side of the home’s siding was stripped away, revealing the insulation beneath.
Sobule, known for her groundbreaking ’90s hits “I Kissed a Girl” and “Supermodel,” the latter of which was featured in the movie “Clueless,” died on Thursday, several of her former colleagues confirmed to The Post. The singer was 66.
“Jill Sobule was a force of nature and human rights advocate whose music is woven into our culture. I was having so much fun working with her. I lost a client and a friend today. I hope her music, memory, & legacy continue to live on and inspire others,” the singer’s manager, John Porter, told The Post on Thursday.
Police received a call at 5:30 a.m on May 1 for “an active house fire,” Woodbury, Minn. law enforcement said in a statement posted on Facebook.
“Upon arrival, responders observed the house fully engulfed in flames. The homeowners reported one person was possibly still inside the home,” police added.
“Woodbury firefighters began actively fighting the fire while also searching for the missing person. Tragically, the missing female, in her 60s, was located deceased inside the home.”
Woodbury Police officially identified Sobule as the decedent on Friday.
“WPD can confirm the victim of the fire yesterday morning was Jill Sobule,” WPD patrol commander Tom Ehrenberg told The Post.
“The Ramsey County Medical Examiner did not finalize the cause of death. The fire itself, including the cause, is still under active investigation, which is standing operating procedure,” the spokesperson also shared.
The Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s Office revealed to TwinCities.com that the investigation into Sobule’s cause of death is pending toxicology results to see if drugs, alcohol, or carbon monoxide were contributing factors. The tests could take anywhere from 6 to 8 weeks to complete.
Investigators are also trying to figure out if Sobule was still alive when the fire broke out, the spokesperson said, per TMZ.
Sobule was in Minneapolis to visit friends, record an episode of “The Brian Oake Show” podcast and prepare for a show, “Jill Sobule presents F*ck 7th Grade & More: A Pride Month Event!,” the outlet added.
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