Elderly Woman Dies After Suffering Burns In Van Nuys House Fire
VAN NUYS (CBS) — A woman who was severely burned early Friday morning in a Van Nuys house fire died at a hospital, a fire department spokesman said.
The blaze at 14655 W. Leadwell St. was reported at 4:52 a.m., the Los Angeles Fire Department said. The fire was extinguished in 17 minutes.
Firefigheters found the woman, 79, steps from her front door.
Paramedics took the woman to a hospital, where she died. Her name was withheld, pending notification of relatives.
The cause of the fire was under investigation, but officials believe it started on a kitchen countertop. Damage was estimated at $100,000. The house was crammed with belongings in "packrat" conditions, officials said. The woman reportedly had lived in the home since the 1960s. Officials only found one working smoke detector in the home.
Fire officials say a dog was also found dead inside the home. No firefighters were injured.
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