Waseca woman dies in fire

Debra Jean Mulcahy, 58, died at the scene last Wednesday after what is believed to be an electrical short caused a fire in the garage attached to her residence at 500 Ninth Avenue NW, filling the house with smoke. Mulcahy was extracted from the home by Waseca firefighters responding to a 9-1-1 call from her husband, Gary, who, according to unnamed sources, had returned home shortly after 6 p.m. to find the doorknob hot to the touch. 

The reported cause of the fire is still under investigation. 

According to the Waseca Fire Department, officers of the Waseca Police Department arrived and were unable to enter the home because of heavy smoke. When members of the Waseca Fire Department arrived, they entered the home and extricated Mulcahy, who was unconscious and could not be revived by emergency responders’ efforts.

After emergency responders left the scene, calls were received at 3 a.m. and 10 a.m. claiming that the fire had reignited and smoke was coming from the house; the first report was accurate, but the 10 a.m. report proved to be mistaken.

The fire and related death are being investigated by a number of agencies including the Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s Office, the Waseca Police Department, Waseca Fire Department and Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s Office. The Waseca Fire Department was assisted on scene by the Janesville Fire Department, North Memorial Ambulance, Waseca Police Department, Waseca County Sheriff’s Office, Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s Office, and Waseca County Sheriff’s Office 9-1-1 Dispatchers. “We express our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the victim in their time of loss,” the Waseca Fire Department said in a press release.

Numerous heartfelt comments were posted on Facebook, as well as on a tribute wall for Debra found on Dennis Funeral Homes’ website. Gary and Debra had reportedly been married since shortly after highschool. 

“My sympathy to Gary Mulcahy. I’m at a loss for words,” one comment read. “Hugs to you and your family, Gary,” another comment said.