Charlotte Fire Department

Charlotte NC – The death of an elderly woman rocked a small senior citizen community after firefighters found her in a burning apartment at 5939 Fairmarket Place http://g.co/maps/f8gkg Thursday morning, October 20, 2011.

Charlotte firefighters initially responded to a medical alarm at the same address and arrived to find heavy smoke pouring from one unit of a one-story residential fourplex. The lone fire company immediately summoned additional firefighters to the scene, sprinted into action initiating a fire attack, and began a search of the burning apartment unit.

Firefighters soon discovered the lifeless body of an elderly woman, extracted her out of the apartment, and began resuscitation efforts. The woman was transported to Carolinas Medical Center Main and pronounced dead a short time afterwards. The deceased has been identified as 70 year-old Betty Childs and was the sole occupant of the apartment unit. The Mecklenburg County Coroners Office will determine the official cause, time, and manner of death. http://charmeck.org/mecklenburg/county/medicalexaminer/Pages/default.aspx

According to Battalion Chief Rusty Garrison, “the home was fitted with a smoke alarm”, http://charmeck.org/CITY/CHARLOTTE/FIRE/DIVISIONS/FIREANDLIFESAFETY/Pages/Smoke%20Alarms.aspx however the dwelling was not equipped with residential fire sprinklers. The fire began in the kitchen and was caused by food left cooking on the stove http://charmeck.org/city/charlotte/Fire/Divisions/FireandLifeSafety/Pages/Kitchen%20Fire%20Safety%20Tips.aspx and caused an estimated $5000.

A well-coordinated effort by 35 Charlotte Firefighters confined the fire to the unit of origin, allowing them to knockdown the flames in less than 20 minutes. There were no additional injuries to civilians or firefighters.

Eternally committed to duty and service,

Mark Basnight

Public Information Officer

Office of Media and Public Affairs

Charlotte Fire Department