Woman dies in Coeur d’Alene house fire

A woman died Sunday after she was found unconscious in a burning home, according to the Coeur d’Alene Fire Department.

About 14 units from Coeur d’Alene, Kootenai County Fire and Rescue and Northern Lakes Fire District arrived at the house fire at 8 a.m. in the 3600 block of North 15th Street in Coeur d’Alene .

Police arrived at the scene first and reported a small fire with smoke billowing from the openings and heat coming from the structure, said Coeur d’Alene Fire Deputy Fire Marshall Craig Etherton.

Crews were told a person was still inside the home, and around 30 firemen at the scene extinguished the fire in around 10 minutes, Etherton said. The woman in the home was then located near the entryway and taken to Kootenai Health, where she died from her injuries.

Etherton said the exact cause of death will be released by the coroner’s office and that the fire department is awaiting confirmation from police that the woman’s family has been notified of her death.

A small dog escaped the house during the firefighting efforts and returned to the home while firefighters were on the scene. The dog was given to animal control until the woman’s relatives are contacted.

Etherton said the department deemed the fire electrical and accidental. He encouraged homeowners to ensure their fire alarms are working properly.

“The big message is there weren’t any working smoke alarms in the house,” Etherton said. “I think if she had a little bit more time, maybe she could have gotten out.”