Fire investigators say there were no working smoke detectors in a Potomac home that caught fire Friday morning, killing a woman and critically injuring her adult son.

Firefighters were called to the single-family home on Gainsborough Road in Potomac around 5:45 a.m.

They found the victim, Marilyn Ehrlich, 78, in a second floor bathroom. She was taken to a hospital where she was pronounced dead.
"She was always such a fun-loving person," said Jeremy Ehrlich, her grandson. "I always looked forward to her coming to my house and bringing us treats and all sorts of types of things. She cared so much about our lives and what we were doing."

"We're just all mourning together and talking about how she was always there for us," added Brandon Ehrlich, another grandson.

Erhlich's 48-year-old son, Ethan, was found in the kitchen on the first flood. He suffered smoke inhalation and severe burns and was transported to MedStar. He was later taken to George Washington University Hospital, where he was listed in critical but stable condition.

A tenant who lived in the basement discovered the fire and was able to escape without injury.

Mrs. Ehrlich had lived in the home for more than four decades and raised two sons, according to her neighbors.

"She was very friendly, always upbeat and always positive," said Meghan Lloyd Smith, a neighbor.

Investigators are focusing on improperly disposed smoking materials as the likely cause of the blaze. They believe the fire broke out on the first floor.

Investigators say there were three smoke detectors in the home, but none was working.

"We have smoke detectors on all three levels of our house and we check the batteries every once in a while to make sure its work -- it's just a good idea to have that," Joann Chang, a neighbor, said.

Three firefighters also received minor injuries while extinguishing the fire.