Fire claims the life of a woman near Gobles

NEAR GOBLES, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) – A West Michigan family is mourning after a fire tore through a Van Buren County home.

Investigators are looking for the cause of a fire that killed a woman early Thursday morning.

Firefighters rushed to the home on M-40 just north of Gobles around 5:30 Thursday morning. After the flames were out, they found the body of a 50-year-old woman dead inside.

It's news that no family wants to hear. The trailer where Nina Robinson's daughter-in-law lives went up in flames.

Police say that a passerby saw flames shooting out of the mobile home. Three departments fought the fire as fast as they could, but it was too late.

Family members have told Newschannel 3 that 50-year-old Penny Robinson was found in her bedroom.

“I can't believe it because she was such a vibrant, beautiful, lovely person to be around, it just doesn't seem fair,” said Nina Robinson, the victim's mother-in-law.

Nina's son and his wife were separated, he wasn't living at the trailer, but Nina says they were working on their problems and planning to reconcile. She says having her son with her is bittersweet.

“I'm very happy he wasn't in this, but I'm very saddened with the loss of my daughter-in-law, she was more like a daughter,” said Nina.

Officials are still looking into what started the fire.