PASADENA, Md. — A single bouquet of flowers now rests on the front steps of a duplex on 220th Street in Pasadena where a 911 call from a man living in the home alerted first responders to a fire with a woman trapped inside.
“So crews arrived on location with a reported one occupant trapped,” said Battalion Chief Jason Cornell of the Anne Arundel County Fire Department, “After an extensive search, they were able to locate the victim who was later identified as 64-year-old Kathleen Lewis and she was pronounced deceased at the scene.”
Paramedics were able to transport the surviving male who was suffering from smoke inhalation to Bayview Hospital.
two adults and two teens in the adjoining duplex also have been displaced.
Tragically, this is the fifth fire death here in Anne Arundel County this year, and while investigators did find a single smoke alarm inside the duplex, they say it wasn’t working.
“So Anne Arundel County Fire Department would like to remind everyone that October is fire prevention month,” said Cornell, “Please check your smoke detectors and make sure they’re in good working order and discuss with your family a fire evacuation plan if this were to occur in your residence.”
A stark reminder on the heels of a fire, which had already turned deadly by the time firefighters could respond and only took 15 minutes to extinguish.
