WS Chronicle

By Jess Schnur 

This past Sunday at 9:46 p.m., a deadly fire broke out in an apartment building at 807 Utah Drive. The first fire engine arrived on the scene within three minutes and 20 seconds. 

Yesterday, the sole victim was identified by the Winston-Salem Fire Department as 31-year-old Rachel Elizabeth St. James. It is asked at this time that the public respect the privacy of the victim’s family during this tragedy. The cause of the fire remains unknown, and an investigation is currently ongoing to identify the fire’s origin.  

The Winston-Salem Fire Department released this statement concerning the critical importance of smoke detectors in the case of house fires: 

“The Winston-Salem Fire Department strongly urges residents to ensure they have working smoke alarms in their homes. There should be one on each floor, one outside the bedrooms, and one in each bedroom. Smoke alarms should be tested weekly using the test button, and batteries should be replaced at least once per year unless the unit is a newer, sealed model. Sealed models should be replaced after 10 years.” 

The Fire Department says they will release more details as their investigation progresses.