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A 78-year-old Burleson woman died at the scene of a house fire in the 300 block of Bernice Court on the afternoon of Aug. 15.
Firefighters responded at 4:45 p.m. to a report of a working structure fire with an elderly female trapped inside, according to a press release. The victim, Velma Findley, reportedly discovered the fire and awakened her daughter, Sandra Findley, who escaped from the house.
Firefighters rescued the victim and performed CPR. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Sandra Findley was transported to a Fort Worth hospital for smoke inhalation, according to a press release. She was treated and released from the hospital and returned to the scene shortly before 10 p.m. Aug. 15.
The Crowley Fire Department responded to the scene, and fire crews from Joshua and Cleburne responded to cover calls within the city.
Fire Marshal Stacy Singleton said the fire began in the victim’s bedroom, but the cause of the fire cannot be determined.
In the wake of the fatal fire, Singleton offered some tips on preventing house fires, advice he said becomes increasingly important as the weather grows colder and structure fires become more common.
“One of the main things we find is overloaded electrical circuits,” he said.
If a need arises to plug more cords into a wall than the socket allows, a good quality, UL-listed breaker strip should be purchased, Singleton said.
“Also, if you are going to smoke, don’t smoke when you are tired or get back from drinking,” he said. “You need to be alert so you can discard the cigarette properly. People will fall asleep while smoking, then boom, there’s a fire.”
Singleton said that in colder months, area residents need to be cautious with their heaters and candle warmers.
“Always get good clearance around heating devices,” he said. “And make sure candle warmers are off before you leave the house.”
If a house fire should occur, Singleton said occupants should call 911 immediately then leave the house unless someone in the house is trained in the use of a fire extinguisher.
Fires are the third leading cause of fatal home injuries, and four out of five U.S. fire deaths in 2006 occurred in homes, according to the Web site www.firesafety.gov, which offers more tips on preventing fires.
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