Officials ID woman killed in Redmond-area mobile home fire
(Update: Fire victim identified)
Dog also perished; investigators say fire caused by smoker's carelessness
REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Authorities on Monday identified a woman who died along with her dog early Sunday morning when fire destroyed their mobile home just south of Redmond. Authorities said the fire was determined to have been caused by careless smoking, and the woman had called 911 to report the fire.
Redmond Fire & Rescue firefighters and paramedics dispatched around 6:20 a.m. to the Mountain View Mobile Home Park at 6100 South Highway 97 found a single-wide mobile home three-quarters ablaze, Deputy Fire Chief Jeff Puller said.
The fire was being driven by a stiff wind and threatened a neighboring trailer, which sustained moderate damage, Puller said. Several explosions occurred within the mobile home, he added.
Firefighters said the fire started in the front area of the mobile home.
Puller said the woman, identified Monday as Sheryl Ann Linker-Ortiz, 60, had made the initial call to 911 dispatchers, saying she was leaving her home and going to a neighbor's house, the deputy chief said. But when firefighters and Deschutes County sheriff's deputies arrived, they were unable to find her.
Redmond firefighters quickly entered the rear of the mobile home to commence a search and found the woman unconscious, Puller said.
Lanker-Ortiz was removed by firefighters and taken by paramedics to St. Charles Redmond, where she was pronounced deceased.
Fire crews also removed a dog from the home, which also died in the fire. They remained on scene to extinguish the fire and support the investigation team.
The 1,100-square-foot mobile home and its contents were a complete loss, estimated at about $25,000.
A total of 18 career and two volunteer Redmond firefighters were called in. Mutual-aid assistance was provided by Bend and Crooked River Ranch fire agencies, the sheriff's office and the American Red Cross.
