Woman dies in Lakewood house fire

LAKEWOOD, Wash. — A bipolar woman with a history of hoarding is dead following an early morning fire in Lakewood.

A family friend told KIRO 7, the double amputee was off her meds, and despite her family's best efforts to get her the help she needed, it wasn't enough.

Jaynie Zeigler lived alone in her Lakewood house.

Her family says the 56-year-old used to be an Army military police officer.

She was also a double amputee, losing both legs when her organs started dying off at age 37.

"It's just tragic," said Marley, standing in front of the home.

Tragic on many levels because Zeigler was also a bipolar and recently became a hoarder.

“I cleaned her house up until last November but like I said when she quit taking her medications she didn't want me to be around,” said Marley. “She didn't think I was who I was."

Marley and Zeigler’s only sister say they called police and the state to help Zeigler on several occasions.

"They tell you that unless that person is a threat to their health or a threat to someone else there's nothing that can be done," said the victim’s sister, Imogene Brown, in a phone interview.

Neither women know what sparked the fire, but they know it started in the den.

Zeigler was also a smoker.

When firefighters got to the house at around 1:45 a.m. they found a smoldering fire inside.

One of her cats managed to escape the flames.

Zeigler’s family is en route from out of state and they say it’s this state that could’ve done more.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

KIRO