A 45-year-old woman died in a residential fire that displaced five other people Saturday in Santa Paula, officials said.

Officials identified the woman as Shana Kolek.

The blaze was reported just after 5:20 p.m. in a duplex in the 500 block of North Mill Street. About five minutes later, the Santa Paula Fire Department was notified that a person was still in the house, said Andy VanSciver, a spokesman for the department.


As soon as crews arrived, they found heavy smoke coming from the house and immediately began trying to find the trapped victim, VanSciver said. The fire was knocked down at 5:35 p.m. and the woman was brought out of the house a minute later, VanSciver said.

Emergency medical personnel began CPR but could not revive Kolek, who was believed to live in the home, VanSciver said.

Neighbors had tried to rescue her, but the heat from the fire was too intense, VanSciver said.

The American Red Cross was notified that five people were displaced by the fire, but they planned to stay at a relative's house, VanSciver said.

Investigators were on the scene, and the county medical examiner was requested there, as well, VanSciver said.

The house was equipped with functioning smoke detectors, VanSciver said.

"We do want to remind people of that note to check their smoke detectors as they change their clocks," VanSciver said a few hours before daylight-saving time began. County fire officials earlier in the week had urged the public to change the batteries in their smoke detectors when daylight-saving time began. Smoke detectors also should be replaced every 10 years, VanSciver said.

The Santa Paula, Ventura County and Fillmore fire departments responded to Saturday's fire. A total of nine units with local fire departments were on the scene, officials said.