Jackie Ayres
Investigators say a house fire that claimed the life of a 51-year-old woman Thursday in Richwood appears to have been accidental in nature.
The fire at the East Cranberry Street residence was reported around 12:15 p.m. Thursday.
Assistant State Fire Marshal B.J. Robinson said Friday the fire originated in the basement of the residence.
The woman, whose name was withheld Friday pending family notification, was the only person inside the house at the time of the fire.
“The house went up really quickly,” neighbor Deborah Dorland said.
“The volunteer firemen responded very quickly and tried real hard to put it out, but they weren’t able to get entry into the house until she passed,” Dorland said.
Dorland says the Richwood Ministerial Association is taking donations to help the family.
“They lost everything. A beautiful dog, a cat named Cuddles, a gerbil and all of the family pictures,” she said.
Officials said the house was a “total loss.”
The final report, including the cause of the fire, is expected to be released next week.
— E-mail: jayres@register-herald.com
