The West Virginia State Fire Marshal’s Office reported that it will investigate the death of a 56-year-old female who died in a fire at the apartment complex located in the 2700 block of Putnam Avenue in Hurricane on Monday, May 6.
Hurricane Fire Chief Mike Hoffman stated that his department received an emergency call at 4:45 a.m. and learned upon arrival that it involved an entrapment.
Hoffman said that a preliminary investigation of the scene revealed that the woman was a smoker and used supplementary oxygen. It has yet to be determined if the cause of the fire was smoking or oxygen related.
Hoffman reported that the smoke alarm which had been mounted on the ceiling was charred and lying on the floor without batteries.
Hoffman said the alarm would have been regularly checked for batteries because the apartment qualified for the HUD rental program.
The body of the victim has been sent to the WV Medical Examiner’s Office for an autopsy and positive identification.