Woman dies after being trapped inside burning mobile home

ALBION, Ind. (WANE) A woman became trapped in a mobile home during a fire and died early Monday morning.

The Albion Fire Department said the fire started around 5:00 a.m.  Crews responded within minutes but the front two rooms of the mobile home were already consumed in flames.

Fire officials said Jennifer Murphy, 40, could not get out of the home in time.  Her husband escaped with their 11 and 13-year old kids.  The three were sent to the hospital with minor injuries.  But the flames grew too large and too fast for him to get to his wife.

"The officer was restraining him as he was screaming for his wife that his wife was inside," said Kaci Timberlake, a neighbor who witnessed the fire.  "At that point the trailer was so engulfed in flames, there was no way that anybody could get in there to be able to do anything for her."

A dog that may have been inside the home is missing. 

A fire official said crews didn't see any smoke detectors inside.  The State Fire Marshal is investigating, but there's still no word on what caused the mobile home to erupt in flames so quickly.

"Anybody who was inside at that point, even if they were not in the fire, would have gone down very quickly from smoke inhalation," said Mark Hunter with the Albion Fire Department.  "There was nothing that we could have done to help this poor lady.  She was probably dead before we even paged the fire out."

The Orange Township Fire Department also responded to the scene.

The fire happened at the 7th Street Mobile Home Park in Albion.  Leaders there said they are trying to raise money for the family affected by Monday morning's fire and are collecting money at their office.  You can contact the office at (260) 636-3663.