Distressing moment elderly woman burns to death in collapsing $1m home during horror blaze
This is the horrific moment a fire ripped through a Seattle-area home, trapping and killing a grandmother inside.
The grandmother, 81, was unable to escape the flames, but her 91-year-old husband, who was on the outside deck, survived, officials said.
Footage from the scene shows the two-story home going up in flames Sunday afternoon in the Seattle suburb of Lynnwood.
The elderly couple’s relatives rushed to the scene and found their family home destroyed and their matriarch still inside, as reported by KIRO 7.
Firefighters arrived at the house just minutes after being called, but the building was already collapsing, making access difficult.
Firefighters used a ladder to access the second floor of the house after the first collapsed to search for the victim, South County Fire Communications Director told the local outlet.
Then they found the grandmother of seven dead in the house.
An 81-year-old grandmother of seven children died in a house fire in Lynnwood, a Seattle suburb, on Sunday
The woman’s husband, 91, was on the outside deck and managed to escape the flames
It took firefighters about 20 minutes to extinguish the flames, partially destroying the house.
The woman’s husband was checked for smoke inhalation at the scene.
Officials said they did not hear a working fire detector in the home, which is valued at $1 million and has four bedrooms and two-and-a-half bathrooms.
According to Zillow, the house had dramatic cathedral ceilings and architectural arches and columns.
It also has an enclosed backyard with a large patio.
‘Everyone is encouraged to check the smoke detectors in your home. Working smoke alarms can save lives by giving you more time to escape a fire,” said a spokesperson for the Snohomish County Fire Marshal’s Office.
‘Replaceable batteries in smoke detectors should be replaced once a year. Replace all smoke detectors after 10 years.’
A probe has been opened to determine the origin of the deadly fire.
According to Zillow, the house had dramatic cathedral ceilings and architectural arches and columns. It also has an enclosed backyard with a large patio
At least six people were reportedly living in the home, but only the elderly couple was home when the fire broke out.
Officials have not released any names for the elderly couple.
They appear to have originated in India.