Victim of fatal fire in Ocean Shores identified

70-year-old local woman Mary Ann Backlin

Grays Harbor County Coroner Lane Youmans has identified the victim in Sunday’s Ocean Shores house fire as 70-year-old local woman Mary Ann Backlin.

“An autopsy was performed (Tuesday) morning, and the cause of death is asphyxiation due to smoke inhalation and carbon monoxide intoxication,” said Youmans in a release. “The manner of death is accident.”

The fire occurred at 12:45 a.m. in the 100 block of Victoria Loop while the Ocean Shores Fire Department also was handling two simultaneous medical-aid calls, which left only one firefighter to initially respond to the blaze in the northeastern neighborhood of the city.

According to an Ocean Shores Fire Department report, the initial call was a report of an explosion with multiple houses involved. When a fire engine arrived on scene there were a fifth wheel, shed and RV engulfed in flames. That engine was joined by an Ocean City engine and firefighter shortly after the Ocean Shores engine arrived, according to the report.

The fire was contained within 23 minutes while nearby homes were evacuated, said the report. Search crews soon found Backlin deceased inside the residence. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.