Woman in her 50s, dog killed in house fire near Tacoma. Cause of blaze unknown
A woman and her dog died in a house fire in the Summit area of Pierce County, Central Pierce Fire & Rescue said Wednesday.
Firefighters responded at about 9 p.m. Sunday to the 3900 block of 88th Street East and found flames spreading through a small, single-story home, Chief Dustin Morrow told The News Tribune. He said crews arrived in six minutes and began efforts to control the fire and begin a search for occupants.
A neighbor reportedly told a command officer on the scene that they believed one person was inside the house, Morrow said. Firefighters found the victim, a woman in her 50s, and she was transported to a hospital, where Morrow said she later died of her injuries. She has not been publicly identified.
Morrow said crews reported having difficulty searching the house due to extreme clutter inside.
The cause of the fire is under investigation, according to Morrow. He said there are indications that the blaze started near the front of the home, which was a total loss. Crews remained on scene until about 1:15 a.m.
