Tragedy struck Kelso early last Friday morning when an elderly woman was pronounced dead following a house fire, while an elderly man was rescued from the same blaze. Just before 6 a.m., Kelso Police officers responded to the 200 block of South 9th Avenue emergency. The two officers, upon arrival, braved through smoke coming from the front door as flames ravaged the upstairs of the property, KPTV reported.
While conducting the rescue, amidst the engulfing inferno, they located an elderly man on a couch in the living room and promptly moved him to safety. However, as fire crews managed to control the flames within approximately 20 minutes and "had the fire fully extinguished by 8 a.m.," an elderly woman was found deceased just outside her bedroom at the back of the house, according to firefighters, KATU reported. Notably, other residents sleeping upstairs when the fire commenced managed to escape the residence without harm.
The identity of the elderly woman has yet to be released pending notification of next of kin. Meanwhile, the elderly man, noted for his disabilities, lying on the couch at the time of rescue, was ushered to safety by the quick action of the officers. The American Red Cross has stepped in to provide aid to the survivors, offering temporary shelter in the trauma's wake, as was told in a statement obtained by KGW. It is a relief to learn that the displaced residents are currently without physical injuries or smoke inhalation complications.
As for the origin of the fire, it remains shrouded in the mystery of the early morning hours, the cause of which is under investigation. In the coming days, authorities hope to uncover the events that led to this calamity. Local fire departments, including Cowlitz 2 and Longview Fire, were instrumental in quelling the flames using multiple hose lines, affirming that the fire was under control by 6:21 a.m., according to Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue, KGW reported.
