Woman dies from fire injuries

January 18, 2009|By DAVE McMILLION

HAGERSTOWN -- A Hagerstown woman who was injured in a Jan. 10 house fire at 112 Calvert Terrace died Sunday, according to a Hagerstown Fire Department news release.

Yasmine Sill, 46, died at about 10 a.m. Sunday at the Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore, said Fire Marshal Douglas DeHaven.

Benjamin Sill, Yasmine Sill's husband, was also injured in the 7:51 a.m. fire and was taken to Bayview Burn Center in Baltimore, officials said. DeHaven said he thinks Benjamin Sill was released from Bayview Burn Center Jan. 12 or 13.

Parker Sill, the couple's son, was taken to Washington County Hospital and later released, firefighters said.

Fire investigators have determined that the blaze likely was started by an electric portable heater near a sofa chair in a downstairs living room, according to the news release.

Hagerstown firefighters Allen Carpenter and Justin Mellott found Yasmine Sill and rescued her, the release said. Carpenter was taken to Washington County Hospital for treatment of burns on his face and later was released.

When Yasmine Sill was pulled from the house, she did not have a pulse but was taken to Washington County Hospital and revived, officials said.

DeHaven said Sunday he did not know what degree burns Yasmine Sill suffered, adding he has not talked to medical examiners about her injuries.

DeHaven also said it is unclear what Yasmine Sill was doing before she fell unconscious in her house.

"There's still details we're trying to put together. I'm not ready to go that far yet," DeHaven said.

Two of the Sills' neighbors, who assisted the family before firefighters arrived, were taken to Washington County Hospital for treatment of exposure to the smoke and heat. Both were later released.

The house had smoke alarms, at least one of which was working, the release said. The alarm alerted someone on the first floor, according to the release.

The smoke alarm was equipped with a 10-year lithium battery from the Hagerstown Fire Department, the release said.

The working condition of other smoke alarms in the house is still being determined, the release said.

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