Local

Olympia couple dies in house fire

OLYMPIA, Wash. — Two people are dead after a fire broke out inside an Olympia home Friday morning.

Olympia firefighters and crews from the McLane Black Lake Fire Department were called to the home in the area of French Road Northwest at 2:16 a.m.

The fire was reported by a neighbor who investigated after he heard what he believed to be the sound of breaking glass.

“Within minutes, the flames were already out the window. He tried knocking on the door, tried banging on the door,” said next-door neighbor Jasmin Faulk-Dickerson.

When fire crews arrived, the house was fully involved in flames. During a search of the home, firefighters found a man and a woman who died in the fire.

“One (victim) was located in the kitchen area and another one was in the living room,” McLane Black Lake Fire Chief Leonard Johnson said.

Their identities have not been released pending notification of next of kin. Faulk-Dickerson described them as a “very sweet, elderly couple.”

“The heartbreaking part is these are 30-year residents of this neighborhood. They’re tied to this community. The neighbors knew them very well,” said Johnson.

Investigators said it appears the victims may have died of smoke inhalation, but the Thurston County medical examiner will determine the cause of death.

“So far, we have not been able to locate any (smoke) detectors. There’s a lot of debris so far on the first floor right now that we haven’t been able to look through,” Johnson said.

Investigators believe the fire started in a kitchen ceiling fixture.

“They were wonderful neighbors, especially to our children,” said Faulk-Dickerson.