Norwalk Woman Died of Burns, Smoke Inhalation

NORWALK, Conn. – Smoke inhalation and burns caused the death of a 62-year-old Norwalk woman pulled by firefighters from a Tuesday morning blaze at a Maple Street condominium complex.

Those are the results of an autopsy conducted Thursday by the state Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Farmington.

Judy O’Brien, 62, died Thursday from injuries sustained during a fire at the Sheffield Ridge Condominium complex, located at 45 Maple St. near Norwalk Hospital. The fire started at 4:19 a.m.

A spokeswoman for the medical examiner’s office said the death has also been classified as “accidental.”

Both O’Brien and her 92-year-old mother, Marjorie Johnson, were unconscious when firefighters arrived at their unit, Apt. 4C, fire officials said. O’Brien lived in the condo with her mother. Both were seriously injured during the blaze.

O'Brien and her mother suffered burns and smoke inhalation and were rushed to Norwalk Hospital, fire officials said. The fire broke out suddenly at the four-story, 40-unit building, filling the fourth floor with heavy smoke and causing the building to be evacuated. However, about an hour after the fire was extinguished, tenants were allowed to return to their units, fire officials said.

Fire Inspector Kirk McDonald was investigating the cause of the fire with the State Fire Marshal's Office.

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