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ST. TAMMANY PARISH- State Fire Marshal (SFM) deputies are continuing their investigation into the circumstances surrounding a house fire that claimed the life of a Covington woman.

Around 9:15 a.m. on March 2, St. Tammany Fire District #12 responded to a call for a residential fire located in the 19000 block of Wymer Road in Covington. Firefighters later located the body of a female occupant in the home’s living room.

Official identification and cause of death are pending with the St. Tammany Coroner’s Office, however, the victim is believed to be a 53-year-old resident of the home.

After an assessment of the scene, deputies determined the fire originated in the home’s living room, where the victim was found. While the official cause remains undetermined at this time, deputies are unable to rule out a potential electrical malfunction as a result of improper wiring related to an excessive amount of connected extension cords located throughout the house.

The SFM would like to remind families that extension cords should only be used as a temporary power source and should never be connected to each other nor to large appliances and/or equipment. This type of activity can result in overheating and lead to a fire.