Elderly Woman Dies in Washington State House Blaze

BREMERTON, Wash. (AP) -- An elderly woman described as a longtime local resident and the last of her immediate family is dead following a fire at the house where lived alone, authorities said.

Edna Tower, 84, died from smoke inhalation, officials in the Kitsap County coroner's office said Monday.

Damage was estimated at $100,000. Cause of the blaze remained under investigation, city fire officials said.

The fire apparently started in a chair in the living room and was noticed by neighbors who were awakened by barking dogs and called authorities early Sunday morning, city Fire Marshal Scott Rappleye said.

Cigarettes and a heating pad on the chair were being examined as possible sources for the fire, Rappleye said.

Police arrived first and tired unsuccessfully to douse the blaze with a fire extinguisher. Firefighters arrived found soon afterward to find flames sweeping through the living room.

Firefighters later saw a walker and wheelchair, then found Tower's body on a sofa in the living room. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Smoke detectors at the house were working, but it was unclear whether the woman could hear them because the nearest one to the woman was down a hallway, Rappleye said.

``Wherever you sleep you should have a smoke detector,'' he said.