49 year old Maryann Audette, Woman who died in Millbury brush fire identified

A small brush fire that was believed to have originated in an encampment left one woman dead Saturday night, authorities said.

On Monday, the Worcester County District Attorney’s office identified the victim as Maryann Audette, 49.

The following comes from a news release from the Department of Fire Services:

At about 8:20 p.m. Saturday, a Massachusetts State Police trooper responded to a brush fire in the area of the Blackstone River Bikeway near state Route 146 in Millbury.

Audette was located in an encampment.

The trooper notified the Millbury Fire Department and police, and the fire was fully extinguished.

Audette was pronounced dead at the scene. The office of the chief medical examiner will determine the cause and manner of death.

At the time of the fire, the state was under a red flag warning that any outdoor fire could spread quickly and be difficult to extinguish, due to dry and windy conditions.

The site of the encampment is just south of border between Worcester and Millbury. The bike path, which is now open to the public, is south of the Worcester Walmart at Tobias Boland Way.

On Monday, yellow tape surrounded the site of the fire.

Inside the yellow tape was shopping carts full of personal items including clothes.

Trash bags were also visible within the area closed off by yellow tape.

Drug paraphernalia could be seen on a table outside the yellow tape.