By Lori Lyons
Contributing Writer

KILLONA – State Fire investigators say a fire which took the lives of a 54-year-old Killona woman and her 3-year-old grandchild appears to have been electrical in nature.

According to Deputy Chief Brant Thompson of the State Fire Marshall’s Office, Catherine Isaac and her granddaughter, Kamri Ferria, appear to have been asleep in the master bedroom of the home at 156 Killona Drive early Friday morning when fire broke out. Thompson said investigators believe the fire originated with electrical items in the corner of that bedroom. While he would not specifically identify the items, Thompson said it did not appear to be a space heater.

Investigators said there were no working smoke detectors in the residence. Autopsies were to be performed on the victims to determine a cause of death.

“We are once again investigating a tragic fire, with multiple fatalities, occurring in a residence without smoke detection,” State Fire Marshal Butch Browning said in a statement. “Let this be a wakeup call as to the importance of these life-saving devices.”