Fire claims life of Granite Falls woman

Published 10:01 pm Thursday, March 17, 2011

GRANITE FALLS — A woman died in a fire in a manufactured home Thursday morning off Jordan Road, firefighters said.

A neighbor reported the fire about 6 a.m. It was at a home in the 11200 block of Jordan Road, more than a mile north of Highway 92.

Crews from Granite Falls Fire District 17 had to take a defensive approach to the hot and smoky blaze, Marysville Fire District spokeswoman Kristen Thorstenson said.

The woman’s husband was able to escape. It did not appear that he was injured, Thorstenson said.

The woman was believed to be in her 60s.

Granite Falls elementary school students who are bused on the Jordan Road route could not be transported to class Thursday morning because of the fire and the emergency response. Only a few middle and high school students were able to be bused, school district spokeswoman Kathy Grant said.

The Snohomish County Fire Marshal’s office was called to investigate the fire.

“There is nothing suspicious,” Thorstenson said.

The couple lived in a double-wide, single-story manufactured home.

Roughly 30 firefighters and medics responded to the rural home. They were from Granite Falls, Lake Stevens, Getchell, Arlington, Arlington Heights and Lake Roesiger fire districts.

Granite Falls Fire District 17 Chief Jim Haverfield said he can’t remember the last time there was a fatal fire in the rural district.

“From my recollection, it has been many, many years,” he said.

Haverfield said he was told the husband heard a smoke detector and was able to get out in time.