101-year-old hurt in fire at home near Muncie

SELMA, Ind. (AP) - A 101-year-old woman suffered burns and possible smoke inhalation when a fire broke out in her home near Muncie.

A neighbor helped Catherine Jane Leach from her burning house Thursday evening and she was sitting in a lawn chair on the neighbor’s property in the town of Selma when firefighters arrived. She was taken to a Muncie hospital for treatment of injuries to her head, hands, neck and arm.

Liberty Township Fire Department inspector Rick Compton tells The Star Press (https://tspne.ws/1lcCXzv ) that the cause of the blaze wasn’t immediately known. The house where Leach has lived for about 30 years had a rear family room gutted by the flames.

Neighbor Jason Ingram says the rear door was melting as he helped Leach down the steps.

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Information from: The Star Press, https://www.thestarpress.com