Fatal Fire Merritt

A grim reminder to check your smoke alarms and make sure you have an extinguisher in your home following a fatal house fire in the Merritt area.

It happened Saturday evening when officials were dispatched to a home in the 2100 block of Clarke Avenue.

The place was fully engulfed when firefighters arrived. Two of the occupants made it out with minor injuries, but a third person wasn't so lucky and perished in the blaze.

The victim was 44. Her name has not been released.

Officials say it would appear the fire started in the kitchen and that someone had left something on the stove.

They add there were no smoke alarms or a fire extinguisher in the home.