A woman was killed in a house fire in Tyngsborough, Massachusetts, on Thursday morning.
Fire and police officials received a 911 call at 9:21 a.m. reporting a fire in a 2-story, single-family home on Fletcher Drive. When they arrived, they were told multiple people were trapped inside.
One resident was quickly rescued by an arriving Tyngsborough police officer and was treated at the scene.
Heavy smoke prevented first arriving officers from making further entry into the home. A second resident, a woman in her 20s, was trapped inside in a second floor bedroom. She was rescued by Tyngsborough firefighters once they arrived at the scene.
The woman was taken to Lowell General Hospital, where she was later declared dead. Her name is not being released pending the notification of family.
Two dogs also died in the fire.
Tyngsborough Fire Chief Wes Russell says the fire appears to have started in the first floor, and extended up through the second floor and into the attic.
"On arrival there was heavy smoke on the first floor and coming from the attic," Russell said. "We had reports there was still one victim inside. Crews made quick entry and had a little challenge getting through the home and through the back bedroom. They were able to find the victim and remove her from the home."
The victim was found in a second-floor bedroom.
"I saw them bringing the stretcher down, but I knew it wasn't good," said neighbor John Smith.
People in the tight-knit neighborhood are distraught.
"Her mom loved her so much, she'd do anything for her," said Smith. "She was a kind person, she loved animals, she loved the dogs."
"The first police officer on the scene, after helping rendering assistance to the person outside, tried to go into the home and to get upstairs, he was unable to get through the thick smoke, and he had to retreat to the outside of the building," said Tyngsborough Police Chief Richard Howe.
Firefighters from Dracut and Nashua, New Hampshire, also assisted at the scene.
The American Red Cross was working to assist displaced residents.
The origin and cause of the fire are under investigation by the Tyngsborough police and fire departments and state police.
