Fort Smith (Oct 30/06) - A mother of three who died earlier this month in a tragic Fort Smith house fire "lived life to the fullest," according to her father.

Lorna Norn, a 28-year-old mother of three, had been in the front of the house when it caught fire on the morning of Oct. 20. Norn was in the section of the home where the fire was the worst, said Fort Smith Fire Chief Darren Linaker.

A mother of three died inside this Fort Smith home earlier this month. The house at 66 St. Ann's Street, was gutted. - Erika Sherk/NNSL photo

Three-quarters of the house, located at 66 St. Ann's Street, was engulfed in flames, he said.

Neighbour Trinity Emile has lived across the street for six months. She looked out her upstairs window that morning and saw the house in flames.

"It looked pretty bad, kind of scary for the people in there," she said. A firefighter was on the roof cutting holes into it, she said.

Norn's body was found after the flames had been put out, about thirty minutes after firefighters arrived, said Linaker.

Born and raised in Fort Resolution, Lorna had been attending business management courses at the Aurora College campus in Fort Smith since August, according to her father, Bill Norn.

She was well-known in Fort Resolution, said Bill. The elderly were especially fond of her. "They loved the ground she walked on," he said, adding that Lorna volunteered much time with children as well as seniors.

His daughter had friends all over Canada in the dog-mushing community, said Bill. He is an experienced musher and daughter Lorna began mushing at the age of four, he said.

"She was very popular," amongst the mushers and calls of sympathy have been coming in all the way across Canada, he said.

Lorna did not live in the house at 66 St. Ann's, he said. He assumed she was just visiting.

Lorna's three children, ages 2, 8, and 11 are with him and his wife Tyra now.

They are doing well, he said, though the entire family is in shock.

"There is only one word running through my head right now, and that is 'why'?" he said.

Lorna Catholique, the only other person in the house, was rescued by firefighters.

"It was a dramatic rescue," said Linaker.

The crew could hear someone banging on the wall, he said.

Firefighters Karl Cox and Westly Steed had to take apart a wall to get to her.

It was not an easy rescue, said Linaker. "Visibility and heat and smoke were a problem," crews reached the woman and got her out "in a matter of minutes."

"I know for a fact that she didn't have much time," he said." Maybe another five or ten minutes."

The ambulance had not yet arrived when the firefighters got her outside.

"We made sure she was comfortable," said Linaker. "She was in and out of consciousness."

The ambulance arrived and took her to hospital. Relatives said she is fine now, but declined to provide any further information.

RCMP and fire marshal investigations are ongoing. Staff sergeant Craig Seafoot said there is no telling how long the RCMP investigation into the fire and the fatality will take.

The cause of the fire appears to be an accident, he said.