Minn. Woman Dies in Fire After Saving Two Others
Oct. 20--A house fire in Ham Lake killed a woman who had alerted two others inside to the blaze and saved their lives, authorities said Thursday.
The blaze broke out at about 11:30 p.m. Wednesday at the home in the 3600 block of Bunker Boulevard, according to the Anoka County Sheriff's Office.
A woman, described as a live-in caretaker, was found dead amid what responding personnel described as a large working fire.
A 78-year-old woman and her 52-year-old son escaped from the home, the Sheriff's Office said. They were alerted to the fire by the caretaker, allowing them to be removed from the home, the Sheriff's Office added.
It is not known why the caretaker could not escape, but "her actions clearly saved the lives of the mother and son , and she lost her life saving the others," the Sheriff's Office said in a statement released Thursday.
The cause of the fire has yet to be disclosed. The identity of the caretaker has yet to be released.
"This tragic event is yet another reminder to test your smoke alarms and have an evacuation plan in place in the event of an emergency," Sheriff James Stuart said.
Paul Walsh --612-673-4482