Libby mom, toddler die in fire

The Daily Inter Lake

A woman and her 2-year-old son died in a mobile-home fire in Libby on Saturday night.

The victims were identified by the Lincoln County coroner as Lorna Coffman, 26, and her son, Montie McPherson.

When Libby volunteer firefighters responded at 12:45 p.m., they found the single-wide trailer home on Spencer Hill Avenue with "the entire front half of the structure in heavy flames," said Steve Lauer, assistant fire marshal.

"We extinguished it and made entry to the building and located the victims in the back bedroom of the residence," Lauer said.

They were pronounced dead at the scene, apparently from smoke inhalation.

The fire is still under investigation, but Lauer said it appears it was started by a cigarette in an ashtray that ignited a couch in the front part of the trailer.

"The key to this whole thing is that there were no smoke detectors found in the residence at all," said Lauer. Alcohol may have been involved, based on statements from witnesses who were the last to see Coffman, said Lauer, who is waiting for autopsy results.

About 15 firefighters responded, along with one engine, four tenders and a command vehicle, with assistance from the Libby Ambulance and the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office.