A Centralia woman was pulled unconscious from a fire in her mobile home Wednesday morning. She has been identified as 66-year-old Vicky Roe of 1010 Bond Street.
Centralia City Firemen and Life Star Ambulance first responded to the woman’s medical alert. The first firemen spotted smoke as they were arriving on the scene and realized her home was on fire.
Centralia Fire Chief John Lynch says a Life Star Ambulance paramedic first entered the home to pull her off a couch near the front door, but had to turn back. A firefighter then successfully was able to reach the woman. Once outside, CPR was applied to restore the woman’s breathing. She was taken to SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital and then airlifted to St. John’s Mercy Hospital Burn Center in St. Louis. Lynch says the woman received burns to her body as well as smoke inhalation.
Lynch says the fire was confined to the couch and a nearby wall but had mostly gone out on its own before their arrival. However, there was heavy smoke and heat damage throughout the mobile home which was likely destroyed.
Lynch says there were smoking materials nearby along with the woman’s oxygen tank. The combination of the two items is believed to be involved in starting the fire, but the State Fire Marshal’s office will list the fire as undetermined in the cause.
The medical call came in at 9:15 Wednesday morning. Once the fire was discovered, all available Centralia City Firemen were called in. Firemen were on the scene for about an hour.
(Story updated with additional information at 3:20 pm)
