A Spottsville woman most likely died of smoke inhalation in a house fire on Old Henderson Spottsville Road early Friday morning.
The Henderson County Coroner’s Office Friday evening said that the preliminary ruling for cause of death for Margaret Basham, 86, was smoke inhalation.
Spottsville Volunteer Fire Department received a call a bit before 2 a.m. Friday and arrived at the home at 6828 Old Henderson Spottsville Road about 10 minutes later, said Spottsville Fire Department Assistant Chief Jim McGan.
McGan said information from the 911 call was that a car and house were on fire. Upon arrival, the car was fully involved, and flames were shooting through the roof of the house, he said.
He also said five people were inside. Two adults and two children made it out safely, he said.
Three animals died—two small dogs and a cat, he said.
Firefighters from Spottsville, Baskett and Zion fire departments arrived on the scene, as well as responders with the Henderson City County Rescue Squad, McGan said. About 15 firefighters battled the blaze, and McGan said they were able to get the fire under control by about 3:30-4 a.m.
He said the fire was extinguished by about 7:30-7:45 a.m.
“The house had a lot of remodeling to it,” McGan said, which made it “difficult to control because of that.”
McGan said one firefighter was injured with what may have been a torn muscle.