The Western Taney County Fire Protection District is investigating the cause of a fire that killed a woman early Saturday morning.

The blaze engulfed a travel trailer where the woman lived on state Highway 160, just outside Reeds Spring.

In a picture you can see 71-year-old Marilyn Haes sitting in her favorite chair just inside the doorway of the travel trailer she called home.

But the fire early Saturday morning ended her chances of ever going outside again.

"We went there with all intentions of making a rescue, but it was just not possible.  It was too involved," said Chief Chris Berndt with Western Taney County Fire.

Berndt says Haes' home burned quickly because there wasn't much substance to the structure.

Haes' friends and next door neighbors were the first to spot the blaze from their window, but by the time they could get to her residence and open the door it was too late.

"From the time we got out of that bed and ran around here, it was already to the back of the trailer," said Bucky Coker.

Coker says he found Haes lying by the back door, just a few feet from her chair.

The travel trailer she lived in wasn't the first home on the property, which is where the irony in this story lies.

"There used to be a regular single-wide mobile home at the same site.  About 11 years ago in November of 98 we were there, and did rescue her out of a fire that was caused by smoking then," said Chief Berndt.

While the cause of Saturday's fire is unknown, Haes' family members like to think there is at least one known reason for their loss.

"We all have tragedies in our lives, but I like to fall back and think there are no mistakes in God's world," said Mike Jones.

Jones is Haes' stepson and says he would like people to remember her for always going out of her way to put everyone else first.

"An outgoing person.  Everybody knew that she was a mighty fine person," said Jones.

The Western Taney County Fire District got the call around 12:15 Saturday morning, after Haes' neighbors ran down the street to find someone with a phone to call 911.

It took about 20 minutes to get the blaze under control.

Story ideas or comments?  Email me at wcarter@kspr.com