Norton Firefighters Rescue Woman From Suspicious House Fire

NORTON (CBS) -- A woman was rescued from her burning home Saturday night by Norton firefighters. According to authorities, the woman didn't even know her home was on fire.

Fire officials said they are now investigating the fire, in addition to an earlier trash can fire across the street, labeling both suspicious.

"I turned and heard a racket and, of course with skylights, so suddenly all you see are red and blue lights," neighbor Carol Beckweith-Strong said.

"Very bizarre, very bizarre, very frightening," Charlene Russo, another neighbor, told WBZ.

An early morning awakening for neighbors living near 90 Mansfield Avenue in Norton.

Images from the Norton Fire Department show the damage on the side of the house.

Other pictures show charred items in the neighboring trash can.

"I went and walked outside and saw that my whole entire barrel, not my barrel, the neighbor's barrel was up and ablaze," Russo said.

Authorities have deemed both fires as suspicious.

"I find that interesting, being that it's only a few doors down, to say that's something's suspicious. I hope that they take and figure out what it was, so they can protect the rest of the neighbors," Beckweith-Strong said.

"So, hopefully they'll come to heads or tails of it and find out who did what and find out if it was, you know, somebody who did something deliberately, that's horrible. Hopefully, it's just an accident," Russo added.

Investigators confirm that the house fire started outside on the deck.

Officials say the house is now inhabitable and the elderly woman is temporarily without a home.

"Tragic, I just feel terrible for her," Russo said.

The Red Cross has assisted the woman with temporary housing at a Foxboro hotel.