House Fire Kills Woman

(Updated 11 p.m.)

Authorities say a Monday afternoon fire at a Dallas home killed a woman.

Deputy Chief Joey Pelfrey did not identify the woman or her age Monday night but said she was the only one in the house where the fire began—413 Ivy Crest Drive. Her body, he added, was found in the home’s basement.

Pelfrey said the fire had engulfed that house and spread to the adjacent home at 417 Ivy Crest Drive when firefighters arrived after being dispatched about 3:15 p.m.

“We had a fully involved structure; the second structure was 30 to 40 percent involved,” he said. “We had some high winds this afternoon and low humidity, and it caused the fire to spread to the adjacent structure."

Regarding 413 Ivy Crest Drive, he added: “According to the witnesses, it went quick.”

Pelfrey said no one was in the second house at the time of the fire; both homes were destroyed.

A house on the other side of 413 Ivy Crest Drive sustained some exposure damage from the fire’s heat.

Pelfrey said investigators have not determined the cause of the fire or where it began in the house. The state fire marshal is investigating the fire, which Pelfrey said is typical after fatal fires.

Angela Huddle, who lives in the neighborhood, said she and others noticed signs of a fire about 3 p.m.

“I saw a little bit of smoke coming out like it was coming out of the laundry room or from a dryer vent or something," Huddle said. "I saw a man and another man stop and look, and I said, ‘Is it on fire?’ And they were like, ‘I think so.’ So we ran back to the back, and he kicked the door in and started yelling to see if anybody was there, and the glass starting breaking. We never heard anybody scream or nothing."

Huddle questioned the speed of the fire response. She recalled hearing firetrucks but not seeing them for another half-hour or so. She said she knows she and the men spotted the smoke around 3 p.m. "because I remember thinking, ‘I got like 30 minutes before I have to pick up my son from school.’ ”

At least one engine was on the scene at 3:30 p.m., based on photos taken by Dallas-Hiram Patch.

Pelfrey said Monday night he was unsure of his department's exact response time.