North Coweta: Woman who died in Monday morning fire identified
By JOHN A. WINTERS
john@newnan.com
A 61-year-old woman was killed after an early Monday morning fire swept through her mobile home in the Palmetto area of north Coweta County.
It was the first fire fatality since January 2011, when two children were killed in Grantville blaze, according to authorities.
Coweta County Fire Department personnel were called out about 4:30 a.m. to the South Oaks Mobile Home Park, where the fire, at 274 Caldwell Drive, already had taken over about 70 percent of the structure, said Todd Moore, deputy chief."
"Fire was coming through all the windows," Moore said.
Firefighters went through a window at one end of the trailer and immediately found the sole occupant, Pratt, on the floor, the deputy chief said. Pratt, who had already died, was then removed from the structure.
The cause of the fire, believed to have started at the opposite end of where Pratt's was found, is being investigated by state and county fire marshals.
Coweta County Fire Marshal Jimmy Gantt said an initial investigation did not show anything suspicious on the cause. Pratt's body was being taken to the state crime lab for an autopsy.
"Our guys did a very aggressive attack, but unfortunately, we could not save her," Moore said.
About 14 firefighters responded, who had to use a tanker truck for a water supply because there are no fire hydrants in the area, he added.
Authorities were not sure whether the mobile home had any smoke detectors.
"We will be canvassing the mobile home park this week to check for operating smoke detectors as part of our early alert initiative," Moore said. "We will provide and install the smoke detectors free at no cost to the residents."
