LORAIN — The Lorain Fire Department is still investigating a deadly fire from early Wednesday morning at the Pinebrook Tower Apartments off Shaffer Drive.
Lorain's Assistant Fire Chief Shawn Lloyd said firefighters found Sherri Bennett, a resident of the complex, unresponsive on the floor of her second-floor unit. Lloyd said the fire started in her living room, but the cause of the fire isn’t known. Lloyd said it’s preliminary being ruled as undetermined.
Bennett’s daughter, Brittney, said her mom lived at the complex for about a year and a half.
Brittney said her mom was outgoing.
"Very bubbly,” Brittney said. “My mom was bubbly. She was very, always smiling."
Brittney, the oldest of two children, said she talked to her mom at least 10 times a day.
“She would come over and have coffee with me in the morning sometimes, and we would talk about my son,” Brittney said. “We would talk about life and what I wanted to do in life, and you know, she was very supportive.
Wednesday morning, she said a call from her mom’s apartment manager changed everything.
"She told me that there was a fire and that my mom— they didn't know what was going on with her,” Brittney said.
Soon after, she said another call came from the Lorain Police Department.
“… saying that they needed to come talk to me in person because they couldn't just disclose it over the phone,” Brittney said.
Lloyd said the fire department was dispatched at about 12:06 a.m. When they arrived he said firefighters began to attack the flames and did a door-to-door search.
“During that phase we did wake a couple people up out of bed who were unaware that the fire was going on,” Lloyd said.
Lloyd said the investigation suggests Bennett tried to escape.
“She most likely feel asleep on the couch (and) tried to make her way to a sliding glass door that would have took her out to the balcony of her apartment and stood and and then probably immediately collapsed where we found her,” Lloyd said.
Brittney said she’s trying to remain strong with help from her dad, other family members and friends.
"Don't take things for granted in this life,” Brittney said. “Always cherish your loved ones and be there for them as much as you can.”
She said her mom worked as a waitress and restaurant manager for most of her career. Brittney said she loved being surrounded by family, cooking, reading, crime TV shows and gardening.
"That Rose of Sharon— my mom loves a lot,” Brittney said, pointing to a large plant in the backyard of the family home in Amherst. “That was her favorite flower. Now, let me get you started on her tomato plants. She would grow the tomatoes and freeze them and make homemade spaghetti out of them."
“What will you hold with you forever,” I asked Brittney.
“Her smile. The way she laughed. The way she looked at other people in the kindness of her heart,” Brittney said.
Thursday afternoon, the complex was being boarded up. Nearly a dozen families can’t return home.
The Red Cross said it is providing financial help, which can be used for hotels and to replace needed items.
Lloyd said it’s essential for everyone to know the importance of having working smoke detectors in each of their bedrooms and common spaces.
He said several units, including Bennett’s, did not have working alarms.
“We found more smoke detectors in disarray… missing batteries (and) not up in their brackets where they should be,” Lloyd said.
Meanwhile, Brittney is holding on a little tighter to photos of her mom in happier times.
"She was definitely my best friend,” Brittney said.
The Red Cross offers numerous resources related to smoke detectors, including a way for people to request a device. More information can be found on their website. Local fire departments are also another place to get information and assistance.
Lloyd also stressed the importance of having insurance, like renter’s insurance, to cover some damage costs when the unexpected happens.
