OXFORD VILLAGE ? A 62-year-old woman died in an apartment fire in the early morning of hours of Tuesday, Feb. 16.
Shortly before 4 a.m., firefighters were called to Village Manor Apartments, located at 75 Pontiac St., to a report of a possible structure fire in one of the units and a person trapped inside.
Fire Chief Pete Scholz said the victim, whose name was not released prior to press time, died from smoke inhalation. She was found on the living room floor approximately six feet from the front door, he said.
Given she was a larger woman, Scholz speculated some ‘underlying health problems? may have contributed to her death by hindering her ability to exit the apartment.
Prior to the arrival of emergency personnel, a neighbor had kicked in her apartment door, ‘but the smoke was so thick he could not go in,? according to the chief.
A village police officer and Scholz were the first ones on scene.
‘He wasn’t able to get in,? the chief said. ‘I got there right behind him. Same thing, I tried to get in, but couldn’t because (the smoke) was so thick.?
Two firefighters wearing breathing apparatus went inside to retrieve the woman, but Scholz said at first, they were unable to move her due to her size.
That’s when Scholz and Assistant Chief Dave Creech jumped in, without breathing apparatus, to assist them. ‘It took four of us to get her out,? Scholz said.
All the way to the hospital, firefighters attempted to resuscitate her, but were unsuccessful, Scholz noted. She was pronounced dead at the hospital.
As for the fire itself, it was confined to the area around the electric stove in the kitchen.
Scholz said it appears the cause was either something cooking on the stove or a possible electrical malfunction or both.
The fire spread to nearby cupboards and ended up melting a plastic waterline underneath the sink, which turned out to be a lucky break.
‘That sprayed water all over the place and pretty much extinguished the flames,? Scholz said. ‘We used maybe like 2 gallons, if even that much, to put out a little bit (of fire) in the one cupboard and cool things off.?
Fortunately, the fire was confined to the one apartment. The building consists of 24 units spread across three floors.
‘There was smoke throughout the entire building,? Scholz said.