The Virginian-Pilot
                             THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Thursday, December 7, 1995             TAG: 9512070553
SECTION: LOCAL                    PAGE: B7   EDITION: FINAL 
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH                     LENGTH: Short :   20 lines

SMOKE DETECTOR DIDN'T WORK

The Tuesday night fire that killed a 76-year-old woman spread unchecked because the home's smoke detector didn't have a battery, fire officials said Wednesday.

The blaze in the 1000 block of Tradewinds Road was started because Maidie E. Williams was smoking in bed, Fire Department spokesman Chase Sargent said.

Williams' 39-year-old granddaughter escaped and was treated at the scene for smoke inhalation.

KEYWORDS: FIRE FATALITY SMOKE ALARM by CNB