An 85-year-old woman was found dead Thursday after a fire tore through a living space built into a detached garage in Miltona Township, Douglas County. Fire crews from Miltona and Parkers Prairie put out the flames, but the sleeping area sustained heavy damage. Authorities later identified the woman as Bonnie Johnson, who was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Douglas County Sheriff's Office received a 911 call reporting the fire, and deputies and medical personnel tried life-saving measures before Johnson was declared deceased, according to WJON. A caller told dispatch that a woman had been removed from the garage, and first responders attempted resuscitation on site. Officials said the living-quarters portion of the garage suffered extensive damage.
State fire marshal joins the probe
The Douglas County Sheriff's Office is working with the Minnesota State Fire Marshal on an origin-and-cause investigation. Under state law the fire marshal has authority to investigate fires and enforce the State Fire Code, as outlined by the Minnesota Revisor of Statutes.
Response and damage
Miltona and Parkers Prairie firefighters knocked down the blaze and cleared the scene while investigators focused on the living-quarters area, where the fire is believed to have started. Authorities identified the victim as 85-year-old Bonnie Johnson and said she was pronounced dead at the scene; the investigation remains active, according to WJON.
Local context and fire-safety reminders
The area has seen other recent small-structure fires, including a January 22 Miltona house fire blamed on a portable heater that sent two people to the hospital, per Valley News Live. Portable heaters and improper use of extension cords are frequent contributors to winter heating fires nationwide, a point highlighted in a report discussed by Fire Engineering. Safety officials recommend keeping heaters on level surfaces, maintaining a three-foot clearance from anything that can burn, and plugging them directly into wall outlets.
