An 88-year-old Franklin woman died in a house fire early Monday morning.
Cowee Fire/Rescue was dispatched to a fire at 391 Bradley Creek Road at 12:38 a.m. The person calling 911 said an elderly woman was trapped inside. The structure was fully engulfed when the first crew arrived at 12:44 a.m., according to Chief Dustin Pendergrass.
A family member on site reported the woman was last seen in the dining room area. The firefighters entered through the front door and a side door. As they began extinguishing the fire, they searched for the victim, but did not locate her in the kitchen, dining room or living room areas.
The roof had collapsed near the center of the home, blocking access to the hallway that led to the bedrooms and bathrooms. A third crew entered the house through a bedroom window and began searching the bedrooms and bathrooms. The victim was located at 1:02 a.m. in one of the bedrooms. The firefighters removed an interior wall between the bedroom and living room so they could carry her out of the house.
EMS was on the scene, and it was determined that Monica Elliott was deceased. The fire was controlled at 1:24 a.m. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
In addition to Cowee, fire departments from Franklin, Burningtown-Iotla and Macon Fire Services responded as well as Macon County Emergency Management, EMS, Macon County Sheriff’s Office, the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation and an agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
“On behalf of Cowee Fire/Rescue, I would like to thank everyone who participated in this event. The family and friends of Ms. Elliott are in our thoughts and prayers,” Pendergrass said.
Fire damages hotel
Several units of the Relax Inn on Georgia Road were damaged in a fire Sunday night. The fire displaced 11 occupants and one person was evaluated for possible smoke inhalation, according to Fire Marshal Jimmy Teem. The cause of the fire is under investigation. Clarks Chapel Fire and Rescue was assisted on the scene by Otto and Franklin fire departments. The American Red Cross was contacted to assist the occupants.
Teem said fire crews also responded to five brush fires over the weekend. “With dry conditions forecast throughout the week with only a slim chance of rainfall, residents are urged to avoid outdoor burning. If residents must burn, they should use extreme caution,” he said.