Nevada Appeal News Service A fire engulfs a home in Fallon where Connie Jean Winterton, 42, died and her 6-year-old daughter escaped harm on Monday afternoon.
The woman who died in a Fallon-area house fire Monday afternoon at 3270 Duane Drive has been identified as 41-year-old Connie Jean Winterton, according to a press release from the Churchill County Sheriff's Department
Winterton, along with her boyfriend and 6-year-old daughter, had lived in the Fallon area for the last several months and came from Southern Nevada.
The cause of death was determined to be asphyxia due to inhalation of products of combustion.
Churchill County Sheriff Richard Ingram said an autopsy was needed to positively identify the body, adding that soot from the fire had covered Winterton's face.
The fire began in a recliner chair and was likely started by a burning or smoldering cigarette, according to the press release.
Winterton had instructed her 6-year-old daughter to leave the house when the smoke detector activated. However, the victim remained in the house for unknown reasons.
The 6-year-old was unharmed and ran to a neighbor's house after leaving the residence.
The sheriff's department initially wanted to talk to Thomas Warburton, 51, about the fire, thinking he could have some knowledge of it since he had lived there.
"We believe that person was living there, but was not at the house at the time of the fire," Ingram said.
When police located Warburton on Tuesday, he was unaware of the fire and had no knowledge of what had happened or the cause.
"He is not a suspect or a person of interest," Ingram said. "We made a traffic stop several miles from the home."
There is no indication of foul play, and there is no indication of criminal activity regarding the fire and the related death.