Woman Dies In Fire After Saving Kids

A Chattaroy woman died in a fire late Monday after waking her two daughters to make sure they got out of the house alive.

“She saved her daughters’ lives,” said Ed Lewis, chief of Spokane County Fire District 4. “She was overcome and got cut off and was unable to exit the house herself.”

Lewis said Julie Olson, 40, called from the house to report the fire about midnight. It wasn’t clear whether she made the call before waking the girls, aged 17 and 10.

When firefighters arrived, the house at 28111 N. Cottonwood was engulfed in flames, and bystanders told firefighters they didn’t know whether anyone was trapped inside.

Firefighters had to fight the blaze before they could go inside, said Lewis. They found Olson’s body in a bedroom and began CPR. She was flown by helicopter to Deaconess Medical Center, where doctors pronounced her dead.

Firefighters suspect the fire started with a spark from the fireplace. The single-story house, which was “heavily damaged,” was insured.

If the family did anything wrong, Lewis said it was taking the time to call firefighters before leaving the house.

Olson’s husband was out of town on business, Lewis said.

, DataTimes