Woman Dies While Fighting Fire in Philadelphia Home

Feb. 11, 2007
"They were all out -- all downstairs on the first floor, at least, where the fire was not involved -- and this individual did go back upstairs and attempt to put the fire out," a deputy fire commissioner said.

A house fire left one woman dead Saturday morning in South Philadelphia.

Firefighters rushed to a house on the 1200 block of Latona Street before 6 a.m., and they brought flames under control in under 15 minutes.

Deputy Fire Commissioner Ernest Hargett said the death of the woman in her 20s -- Philadelphia's 10th fire fatality of the year -- could have been avoided.

"They were all out -- all downstairs on the first floor, at least, where the fire was not involved -- and this individual did go back upstairs and attempt to put the fire out," Hargett said.

The home also had no working smoke detectors, Hargett said.

The woman, who has not yet been identified, was taken to a hospital for smoke inhalation and later pronounced dead. Authorities said she lived with her mother and grandmother.

"She thought she could put it out, but people don't understand how serious fire is," Hargett said.

Officials are still investigating the cause of the fire.

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