Charges have been filed against the mother of a 13-year-old Elkin special needs student who died in a January house fire.

"If we have them in our homes, we know we can reduce our fire deaths to zero". We had two houses burning and fire travels fast.

"It is being destroyed as we speak", said Mission assistant fire chief Norm MacLeod. Furthermore, they established that the living conditions in the home posed a substantial risk of injury to the child and contributed to the rapid spread of the fire.

All three station were called out to the scene, as well as tender trucks from the Maple Ridge Fire Department.

The Red Cross was also called to the scene - and is providing care and resources to approximately 15 residents.

The co-owner of the residence, William Aug, told The Pantagraph that investigators and the state fire marshal's office think the fire started in the downstairs kitchen.

The cause is still under investigation.

There were no working smoke detectors in the home where the woman died.

ABC 17 is now asking firefighters about the fire.

Installing free smoke alarms in residences is a component of Project FOCUS (Firefighters Out Creating Urban Safety).