Washington Woman Dies In House Fire After Trying To Save Her Dog

July 12, 2004
A woman and her husband got out of their burning house safely, but the woman went back inside and died trying to save her dog, authorities said.

MARYSVILLE, Wash. (AP) -- A woman and her husband got out of their burning house safely, but the woman went back inside and died trying to save her dog, authorities said.

When firefighters arrived at 3:36 a.m. Saturday, seven minutes after a neighbor reported seeing smoke, the 62-year-old woman had gone back into the flaming house, said Nathan Trauernicht, a spokesman for the Marysville Fire District.

Firefighters quickly quelled the flames and got the woman outside but could not revive her, Trauernicht said.

The fire apparently was ignited by an electrical fault under the deck of the manufactured home near Lake Ki, about seven miles northwest of town, said Brenda Larsen of the Snohomish County fire marshal's office.

People should never go back into a burning house, Trauernicht said.

``One of our catch phrases is 'get out and stay out,''' he said.

Information from: The Seattle Times

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