Fire fighters stand outside of the home where a fire took the life of a woman on June 19th. Photo by KCII staff

On Father’s Day, June 19th, a house fire in downtown Washington claimed one life and it is believed the early morning fire was started by a cigarette. Shawn Ellingson with the Washington Police Department explained, “the cause is believed to be a cigarette placed in a plastic Smoker’s Receptacle that possibly caught trash on fire in the receptacle.” He added others had reported this happening before. The location of the receptacle in relationship to the fire points to it being the origin. The official ruling of the fire is that it was an accident.

The fire took the life of 22-year-old Deshia Matthew. No working smoke detectors were found in the house at 116 West Third Street by the fire chief or fire marshal. Optimae LifeServices provided services to residents in the home and there were two residents and one staff member there at the time of the fire.