By Jean Cole
jean@athensnews-courier.com
ATHENS —
Athens Police still do not know what killed a 52-year-old Athens woman discovered badly burned inside her apartment on Elm Street late Friday night.
Vickie Strasser had sustained second- and third-degree burns over 95 percent of her body when Athens firefighters and police officers found her at Elmwood Apartments about 10:38 p.m.
Firefighters rushed to Strasser’s apartment after receiving a 911 call reporting a smoke detector sounding. After forcing their way inside amidst the smoke, they rescued Strasser, who was home alone, and administered first aid until an ambulance arrived.
However, she died sometime between 10:40 and 11:30 p.m. at Athens-Limestone Hospital before a MedFlight helicopter could take her to Huntsville Hospital.
“We don’t have a cause of death from the fire at this time,” Athens Police Capt. Floyd Johnson said Wednesday. “We will have to wait for the autopsy results before we will know for sure.”
The fire remains under investigation by Athens Fire and Rescue, Athens Police and the state Fire Marshal’s Office.
