This was updated at 12:59 p.m.
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
A Salkum woman is in critical condition at an Oregon hospital after a fire broke out in her home this morning.
Firefighters were called just before 7:30 a.m. to a residence on the 2100 block of Spencer Road near Forest Retreat Drive, according to responders.
The woman who is wheelchair bound called 911 and tried crawling out, making it the door but then the call ended, according to Fire Investigator Derrick Paul.
Sheriff’s Deputy Jason Mauermann was the first on the scene, and luckily went to the door where she was, Paul said.
“She was right there, he saw her and pulled her out the door,” Paul said. She was unconscious.
The woman, whose name and age are not available, was airlifted to Legacy Emanuel Hospital in Portland, Paul said.
He spoke to the hospital just before 11 a.m. and found she was in critical condition with smoke inhalation and burns, he said.
“It’s one of the ones we fear, a structure fire with entrapment,” Lewis County Fire District 8 Assistant Chief Don Taylor said.
Taylor and fire Lt. Bill Woods arrived and helped the deputy get her off the porch and into the yard, responders said.
Smoke was blowing out of the eves when District 8 arrived, Taylor said.
They were joined by firefighters from fire districts out of Mossyrock, Toledo and Napavine.
Taylor said it was actually a single-wide trailer that had been converted.
Firefighters held the blaze to the room of origin, Paul said, which is very good for a volunteer department on a Saturday morning.
Paul said the cause was a cigarette in a trash can.
“Which is obviously key,” Paul said. “The other thing, there is no detectors … especially since she was wheelchair bound.”
Early detection was, would have been key, he said.
Paul said he believed the fire started right next to her, on a couch where she sometimes slept, and suspected it was flames or heat that awakened her. If that hadn’t happened, he said she probably would have simply succumbed to smoke inhalation in her sleep.
“Just put in the deputy who did his job, or more than his job, he needs some (recognition) for what he did,” Paul said. “And District 8 did a great job.”
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
Great job Jason.