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Parksville woman, 90, killed in trailer fire

A 90-year-old woman is dead after fire ripped through her trailer in Parksville early Monday. The B.C. Coroners Service identified the victim as Johanna Irmgard Charlotte Szepat. Parksville volunteer firefighters were called about 2:40 a.m.

A 90-year-old woman is dead after fire ripped through her trailer in Parksville early Monday.

The B.C. Coroners Service identified the victim as Johanna Irmgard Charlotte Szepat.

Parksville volunteer firefighters were called about 2:40 a.m. after neighbours noticed smoke coming out of the roof of the mobile home in Golden Valley, Deputy Chief Marc Norris said.

About 16 firefighters rushed to the scene and discovered that the mobile home was hot and thick with smoke, but the fire had largely died down.

“It appeared to us that the fire had occurred half an hour to an hour before it was discovered,” Norris said. “We controlled the fire that was remaining and, unfortunately, found one deceased person inside.”

A fire inspector was on scene Monday.

The fire started in the living room area where Szepat had been sleeping, and Norris said the cause is under investigation. He said the trailer did not have a working smoke detector.

The coroner and Oceanside RCMP are also investigating.