Highland St. apt. had smoke detector, unknown if it went off

LACONIA — Working smoke detectors were installed in the Highland Street duplex where a woman died as a result of fire last week, but investigators are unable to determine if the one in her apartment where the fire occurred actually went off.

“There were working smoke detectors in the building,” Fire Chief Kirk Beattie said Wednesday. “But we’re unable to determine if the one in the unit where the fire was actually sounded. The heat from the fire melted the detector.”

Virginia Higgins, 89, the who lived on the first floor of the building at 169-171 Highland St., died as a result of smoke inhalation in the two-alarm fire which heavily damaged her apartment.

Mrs. Higgins was the only person in the 2½-story building at the time of the fire. Her daughter and son-in-law, Sue Higgins and state Rep. Gregg Hough, who live on the second floor, were not at home at the time.

Mrs. Higgins was found unconscious inside her apartment. Firefighters/EMTs performed CPR. She was rushed to Lakes Region General Hospital where she died a short time later.

Beattie said investigators have determined that the fire started accidentally. An unspecified electrical problem is considered the most likely cause, he said.