MACON, Ga. --
An 85-year-old woman is dead after faulty electrical wiring set her house on fire.
Macon-Bibb County Fire Capt. Tom Musselwhite said Louvenia Smith was found unconscious in her smoke-filled bedroom Wednesday. Bibb County Coroner Leon Jones said Smith died of smoke inhalation.
Neighbor Kelley Pledge said he tried to rescue the elderly woman, but he said the burglar bars on her door prevented them from kicking in the door.
Musselwhite said improper wiring and use of extension cords in the living room set the blaze, which spread to the attic and destroyed most of the house. Family members said Smith had lived in Macon most of her life, working as a housekeeper and a custodian for the Bibb County school board.
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