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Two friends die in Winnipeg Beach fire

Young man burned, but escapes house

By: Katherine Dow

Posted: 08/7/2012 1:00 AM | Comments: 0

Investigators inspect the charred remains of the Winnipeg Beach home in which two young women died in Sunday’s fire. (JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS) Photo Store

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'(Lisa) was a great young woman. She was gregarious, loud, just a wonderful kid' -- Jim Mosher, Lisa Mosher's uncle

A woman who died in a fire at a Winnipeg Beach home Sunday was "outgoing, vivacious and real," her uncle said Monday.

Lisa Mosher, 21, was one of two women who died in a house fire Sunday morning on Prospect Street in the community.

Her brother, Ken Mosher, made it out of the blazing house, but her friend, Alyssa Bernardin, 21, also could not escape, said Jim Mosher, Lisa's and Ken's uncle.

"(Lisa) was a great young woman," Jim Mosher said. "She was gregarious, loud, just a wonderful kid."

Gimli RCMP said crews were dispatched to the fire about 6:30 a.m. Sunday. Three people were inside the house but only one, an 18-year-old man, was able to escape, RCMP said.

He was initially taken to the hospital in Gimli, then to the Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg to be treated for his injuries.

Police have not yet released the names of the victims. They said an autopsy was done Monday, but the results were inconclusive.

Jim Mosher said his nephew Ken is "stoic" and recovering from first- and second-degree burns on his back.

"He couldn't do anything and he tried to save his sister. Kenneth thought Alyssa was behind him. He made the decision that he couldn't save his sister, which is a horrible decision to make," he said.

Rena Serlin has lived next door to the Mosher family since the 1970s. Serlin said the Mosher children live in the Winnipeg Beach house with their mother, who was not at home at the time of the fire.

Serlin said she awoke early Sunday morning to the sound of screams. She said she ran outside to see Ken Mosher exiting the burning home, yelling frantically that his sister and a friend were trapped inside.

"At that point, the house was just totally engulfed in huge flames. There was nothing we could do but call 911 and hope," Serlin said.

Another neighbour had another account of the tragedy.

"I saw a boy run out of the home with a dog," said the neighbour, who asked that her name not be used.

"A girl ran outside after on the front lawn, but after only a few seconds, she ran back in. I didn't see her come out again."

Serlin said the fire broke out in the back room of the house where the two women were sleeping. She said paramedics arrived on scene first, followed by members of the local fire department.

The fire was contained and the surrounding properties were not damaged. Police said the home is a total loss.

The fire is still under investigation.

-- with files from Jenny Ford

katherine.dow@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition August 7, 2012 A4

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