Grandmother Dies In Maryland Fire

ADELPHI, Md. (AP) -- The cause of a house fire that killed a grandmother Saturday night appeared to be accidental, fire investigators said Sunday. They were still working on identifying a specific cause.

The Cape Cod style home, located in the 10,400 block of Truxton Road, caught fire around 9 p.m., fire officials said. Authorities said 65-year-old Virginia Avents' six-year-old grandson escaped the home and notified neighbors, who called 911. Firefighters found her dead in the hallway near a first floor bedroom. Prince George's County Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department spokesman Mark Brady said it looked like she was heading toward an exit.

``She used a walker that may have prevented a quick escape,'' Brady said.

Five other relatives lived in the home. They weren't home at the time of the blaze. The Red Cross was assisting them.

The fire caused about $100,000 in damages.