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Woman Dies In Clearwater Apartment Fire

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By CHRIS ECHEGARAY

Published: October 9, 2007

Updated: 10/09/2007 09:11 pm

Video: Deadly Fire
CLEARWATER - A 24-year-old woman's body was found in her smoldering one-bedroom apartment at 223 Dolphin Point, next to Dolphin Cove, this afternoon, police said.

Kathryn M. Oxley, who lived on a second floor unit, died in the fire that was contained to her apartment, Clearwater public safety spokeswoman Elizabeth Daly-Watts said.

The property manager of the 10-unit complex found Oxley shortly before 2:20 p.m. Investigators said the death and the fire are not suspicious. However, the cause of the fire was not released as it remains under investigation.

Oxley died as a result of the fire that self-extinguished, Daly-Watts said. There's $30,000 worth of damage in the apartment.

Neighbors said Oxley worked at Cooters Raw Bar and Restaurant on Clearwater Beach.

Barry Barkley, property manager at the apartment complex, said the woman lived there for about six months. He said she lived alone.

Barkley said this is the first fatal fire at the 10-unit property since he has been its manager.

Daly-Watts said the fire was contained to the second-floor apartment.

"When the doors are locked and there's no oxygen, that happens," she said.

The woman's downstairs neighbor Mike Maxiem said she was new to the area and he never had a problem with her.

"I was quite shocked when I got here to see this happening," he said.

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