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Nov. 10--Horry County authorities are investigating a house fire where a woman was killed early Thursday at Lewis Park Mobile Home Community near Myrtle Beach.
The blaze was reported about 3:15 a.m. Thursday at 3017 Shetland Lane, which is located off U.S. 17 near Myrtle Beach, said Leslie Yancey, Horry County Fire Rescue spokeswoman.
Brenda Casey, 49, died at the scene of the blaze, Horry County Deputy Coroner Tamara Willard said.
When firefighters arrived they found a single-wide mobile home that was engulfed in flames, Yancey said. One person was trapped inside the home when fire crews got there.
The City of Myrtle Beach provided mutual aid in battling the blaze, she said.
The cause of the fire is under investigation by fire investigators and Horry County police, which is standard when someone is killed in a fire, police Sgt. Robert Kegler said.
"Because of a fatality we automatically investigate it," Kegler said. "Nothing appears suspicious or foul, but we are continuing to investigate it."
Family members of the person, who they said was a woman, declined to comment on the blaze while they watched investigators search for a cause of the fire at the home early Thursday.
Connie Beasley, who has been friends with Casey for about 15 years, said the 49-year-old woman helped everyone she met and had a "heart of gold."
"She was the sweetest person," Beasley said. "If you needed the shoes off her feet she would give them to you. It's hard to believe she's gone."
Casey had two Chihuahuas, who were also killed in the blaze, that Casey and her boyfriend, Jorge Medina, treated as their children, Beasley said.
"Those were her kids," Beasley said. "They made sure that people in need got what they needed. [Casey and Medina] helped a lot of people."
More details are expected to be released later and will be posted as they become available.
Contact TONYA ROOT at 444-1723.
