Updated: Thursday, Jan. 18, 6:45 p.m.
Shawnee Fire officials say that a woman critically injured in a house fire Tuesday has died from her injuries.
In a statement Thursday afternoon, Shawnee Fire Chief Richard Potter identified the woman as Patricia Stevenson, 65, of Shawnee.
Potter said investigators determined the fire was accidental, caused by “unattended cooking.”
Investigators found no working smoke alarms in the home, Potter said.
“Working smoke alarms can save lives,” Potter said. “We encourage everyone to test and maintain working smoke alarms and stay with food while cooking.”
Original story continues below:
Shawnee police and firefighters are investigating a house fire that critically injured a woman on Tuesday afternoon.
Firefighters from Shawnee and Lenexa were called to the house at 21308 West 51st St., just after 1:15 p.m.
Recorded radio traffic indicates a neighbor behind the house called 911 to report the fire.
A police officer was the first to arrive in the neighborhood and reported that the front door was unlocked, but there was heavy smoke preventing officers from entering, according to radio traffic.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the Shawnee Fire Department said firefighters arrived to find heavy smoke and a working fire.
Around 1:17PM on January 16th, The Shawnee Fire Department, Shawnee Police Department, Lenexa Fire Department, and Johnson County MED-ACT responded to a report of house fire in 21300 block of W 51st Street. pic.twitter.com/ybrDTV8p5A
— ShawneeKSFire (@ShawneeKSFire) January 16, 2024
“Firefighters located and rescued one patient who was found inside of the home,” the department’x post said. “Firefighters searched the home and did not locate any other patients.”
The woman, only identified as being in her 60s, was transported to the burn unit at the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City, Kansas.
The fire department confirms the woman was in critical condition Tuesday afternoon.
Firefighters had the fire under control within 10 minutes of their arrival at the scene.
Police closed 51st Street from Lakecrest Drive to Mund Road as firefighters battled the flames. The street reopened at about 3:15 p.m.
No other details were immediately available.
Mike Frizzell is a freelance crime and fire reporter who runs Operation 100 News.