WILMA ELLEDA WELCH YOUNG O'DONLEY

An 82-year-old Sapulpa woman died in a house fire at 2130 W. Taft Monday night.

The victim was tentatively identified as Wilma O. Donley by Sapulpa firefighters.

"We never had a chance to save the woman," said Mark Trotter, Sapulpa Assistant Fire Chief.

Trotter said the house was "totally involved" when firefighters arrived.

He said a woman identified as Gay Ann Young and an unidentified man were yelling for help when he arrived on the scene.

He said the faces of both Young and the man were black and their eyebrows were singed from their efforts to save the woman.

"We attempted to enter the house and save the woman, but the fire was too hot," he said.

Trotter said Firefighter Kyle Zickefoose's goggles melted because of the heat.

"The occupants showed us the window to the room where the victim was located but there just was nothing we could do," he said.

Capt. Kevin Lawson said the front door of the residence was burned off and the fire was coming through the roof by the time firefighters arrived.

Trotter said firefighters were concerned about how far a head start the fire had before they were notified.

"We got the message from an alarm company," he said. "And we are wondering why it took so long for us to get the alarm.

"When I arrived the entire interior of the house was on fire," he said. "You could see the glow through the windows of the house from Taft Street," he said.

Trotter said the fire was particularly difficult to fight because of its location and the driveway to the house.

He said the house was known as Eagles Peak and sat on top of the hill overlooking the west side of Sapulpa.

He said the narrow, serpentine driveway and number of trees made it impossible for firefighters to get the ladder truck to the scene.

Trotter said that it was an estimated quarter mile from the entrance to the property and the fire hydrant to the house.

But, in this case the ladder truck would not have made any difference, he said.

"The house was so far gone that all we could do was purely defensive, anyway," he said.

Trotter said the occupants reported they were not certain how the fire started.

They told firefighters there were candles burning in the house and maybe a cat or something may have knocked over a candle, Trotter said.

He said an ambulance was called to provide medical treatment for the two occupants, but both refused to go to the hospital.

Bob Sherrill 224-5185 Ext. 201
[email protected]

SAPULPA -- A candle that a relative said might have been toppled by a pet cat is to blame for a house fire that killed a bedridden, 82-year-old woman late Monday, investigators said.

Wilma E. O'Donley died in the blaze that occurred about 10:20 p.m. in a split-level house in the 2100 block of West Taft Avenue, Sapulpa Fire Marshal Don Acree said.

A scented candle was burning downstairs when O'Donley's daughter, Gay Ann Young, went next door to take her grandchildren home, Young said. A friend of Young's, Chuck McDaniel, stayed behind to watch O'Donley, who had Alzheimer's disease, Young said.

Gone for five to eight minutes, Young believes that a house cat knocked over the candle as McDaniel went upstairs to check on O'Donley and get a drink of water, she said.

"I didn't think anything about it because somebody was there," Young said of the candle. "I would not leave a candle burning and leave. I will not ever burn a candle again now."

The fire was fully involved when firefighters arrived, Acree said.

Enduring singed hair and eyebrows, Young and McDaniel attempted unsuccessfully to reach O'Donley. At one point, Young climbed a ladder to her mother's window before being blown down by the impact of bursting glass, she said.

"I tried crawling in to her," she said. "I tried everything."

O'Donley died of smoke inhalation, and her death was classified as an accident, a spokeswoman with the state Medical Examiner's Office said.

Investigators estimated damage to the home at $200,000. The Tulsa Area Chapter of the American Red Cross is assisting the family with clothing and emotional support, spokeswoman Nellie Kelly said.

"I love my mother," Young said. "I have taken care of her for 10 years. It's hard to lose your mother and everything you own.

"I cannot believe something could go that fast."

O'Donley was known in the community as an avid bowler who tended flower and vegetable gardens in her younger days, Young said.

Young lived with O'Donley for a decade as O'Donley's Alzheimer's progressed, sitting her up in a chair and bathing her daily, Young said. O'Donley couldn't walk or talk, her daughter said.

They lived on a hill that overlooked west Sapulpa.

"All I can say is she's whole now," Young said. "It hurts. I miss her. I want her even the way she was. But for her, it's better.

"For me, it's not. I don't care how she was. She was my mama."

Wilma Elleda Welch Young O'Donley

Wilma Elleda Welch Young O'Donley, 82, of Sapulpa, died Monday, Jan. 31, 2005.

She was a homemaker and had lived in this community most of her life. Wilma attended North Hampton Girls School and the University of Michigan. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church, was a garden club member and an avid bowler.

Wilma is survived by two daughters, Gay Ann Young, of Sapulpa, and Joy Zumwalt, of Sapulpa; grandchildren Bill Edwards, B.J. Barlow, Layce Barlow, Bill Turner, Chance Belk, Will and Shannon Turner, Chance and Jennie Belk, and Jackie Dawn Zumwalt and his wife Lori; great-grandchildren Katie Shepherd, Hunter Edwards, Alex Thomas, Quilla Webb, J.R. Woods, Dallas Woods, Corvin Pugh, Logan Pugh, Makleya Turner, Skyler Turner, T.J. Turner, Sierra Belk, Chandra Belk, Payton Belk, Miranda Wilson, Teri Dawn Zumwalt and Micah James Zumwalt; and one great-great-grandchild Nonnie Barlow.

She was preceded in death by William Glenn Young, Glenn A. Young, Rudy O'Donley and Sam Woods Jr.

Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Friday, Feb. 4, 2005 in the Smith Funeral Home Chapel. Services will be under the direction of Smith Funeral Home.

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