Fatal Apartment Fire Caused By Cigarette

Wed., March 3, 1999

From Staff

A cigarette apparently caused a fire that killed an elderly Spokane woman in the Cathedral Plaza apartment building, fire investigators said.

Mary Ann Ripple, 73, died of burns on Feb. 22 when a chair in her fourth-floor apartment caught fire, said Capt. Ernie Nye of the Spokane Fire Department.

The apartment building is in downtown Spokane at 1120 W. Sprague.

“It looks like a (burning) cigarette was down between the seat cushion and the back of the chair,” Nye said. “The padding was foam rubber, which is a pretty good fuel.”

Ripple was found on the floor immediately in front of the chair.

“It appears she got out of the chair and had fallen,” Nye said.

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