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MINERAL WELLS - A 63-year-old Mineral Wells woman is dead after a fire at her residence Friday evening, the Wood County Sheriff's Office announced via Facebook post Saturday afternoon.
Officials received a call at 8:30 p.m. Friday about a structure fire at 402 Dickens Drive with reports of a disabled individual trapped inside, the post said.
Initially, two neighbors, Blake Ritchie and Tracy Morris, were outside, saw smoke and discovered the fire, the sheriff's office reported. They entered the residence to rescue the disabled occupant but eventually had to retreat due to the intensity of the fire conditions. Both Ritchie and Morris were transported from the scene to WVU Medicine Camden Clark Medical Center for evaluation of smoke and fire exposure, the post said.
Wood County Sheriff's Office Lt. Matt Hupp and Sgt. J.S. Kidder arrived on the scene and attempted to enter the home through the front door but were unable to due to smoke and heat, the post said.
The Mineral Wells Volunteer Fire Department initially responded to the fire and were assisted by East Wood and Lubeck Volunteer Fire Departments. Once the fire was extinguished, a deceased woman was discovered inside. She is believed to be Christine Corena Miracle, the resident of the home. No other individuals were reported to be at home during the fire.
Sheriff Rick Woodyard said the cause of the fire and the woman's cause of death are under investigation by the West Virginia State Fire Marshal's Office and the Wood County Fire Investigation Team. They will make the final determination, but Woodyard said at this point foul play is not suspected.
Other responding agencies included Camden Clark and St. Joseph's ambulances, the Wood County Coroner's Office, American Red Cross and chaplains from the Wood County Sheriff's Office.