Woman, 71, dies days after Spokane Valley house fire

A woman who was seriously burned in a fire at her Spokane Valley home on Saturday has died.

Patricia Bohannon, 71, died Monday after she suffered burns on more than 65 percent of her body, according to the King County Medical Examiner’s Office.

Spokane Valley Fire Department crews were called to her home at 801 N. University Road just after 2 p.m. Saturday. Smoke and flames were coming from the front of the home, and Bohannon was in the front yard.

“She managed to get herself out of the house, but she had sustained some pretty serious burns,” department spokeswoman Melanie Rose said.

Bohannon was taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle for treatment.

The medical examiner’s office determined that there were several other factors that contributed to her death, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and pulmonary emphysema.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

“We do know that she was a smoker and that she used oxygen,” Rose said. “We believe the oxygen-rich environment contributed to the fire.”

Firefighters searched the home after they arrived and found the woman’s dog inside.

Nancy Hill, director of the Spokane County Regional Animal Protection Service, said the dog had severe injuries and was euthanized after consulting with Bohannon’s family.

“It was just too far gone after going to the vet and getting treatment,” Hill said. “It was pretty rough.”