Everett, Wash.
Published: Friday, July 25, 2008

Lynnwood grandmother severely burned at stove

The Lynnwood woman's grandsons acted quickly to extinguish the fire and called 911.

By Jackson Holtz
Herald Writer

 LYNNWOOD -- A Lynnwood grandmother suffered serious burns Thursday morning after her nightgown caught fire while she was making pancakes for her grandchildren.

The boys, ages 12 and 13, are credited with using a fire extinguisher to put out the fire and for calling 911, said Bruce Pulver, a fire investigator with the Snohomish County Fire Marshal's Office.

They should be commended for doing the right thing, he said.

"They really saved her from getting any worse burns," Pulver said.

The woman was rushed to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle with first- and second-degree burns over 25 percent of her body, he said. Her condition wasn't immediately available.

About 10:30 a.m., Snohomish County Fire District 1 paramedics were called to the 6100 block of 147th Place SE. The grandmother was cooking at a gas range when her cotton nightgown caught fire, Pulver said.

One boy tried to put the fire out with water. When that didn't work, he dialed 911 while the other boy used the fire extinguisher.

On Thursday afternoon, the family gathered at Harborview to be with the woman, said Kristen Thorstenson, a Fire District 1 spokeswoman.

Later Thursday, crews were called to a second fire in the Lynnwood area.

About 1:20 p.m., Fire District 1 and Lynnwood fire crews responded to a blaze at a single-family rental home in the 17700 block of Alder Way.

The home was destroyed and a family of four was displaced, Thorstenson said.

A neighbor boy rescued the two family dogs. No one else was home and no one was hurt.

Snohomish County Red Cross and Support 7 responded to help the family.

That fire remains under investigation, Pulver said.



Reporter Jackson Holtz: 425-339-3437 or jholtz@heraldnet.com
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