UPDATED: Officials have identified the woman who died in a fire on Bunn Street in Amsterdam as Paula Cross. The battalion chief told News 10 an autopsy will be performed Monday.
AMSTERDAM, N.Y.-- A house fire in Amsterdam claimed the life of a 76-year-old woman on Saturday morning, despite her husband's efforts to rescue her.
The deadly inferno started around 10:30 Saturday morning at 68 Bunn Street.
"She's a good woman, never bothered no one," said Robert Reel, Amsterdam neighbor. "A good neighbor."
Reel lives just two doors down from 68 Bunn Street in Amsterdam where the flames erupted. Fire investigators said an elderly man arrived back at his house to find the blaze, called 911 and rushed in to rescue his wife.
"He went in to try to get her out and the smoke overcame him," said Amsterdam Fire Department Battalion Chief Richard DePasquale. "He dragged her out a little way and like i said it was to the front door area where she was located at."
Officials aren't releasing their identities but Reel and other neighbors told News 10 they weren't surprised by the man's actions.
"He's a nice guy, the nicest guy you would want to know," said Grace Chichester, Amsterdam neighbor.
"He was coming in every morning, checking on her, seeing how she was doing. I just came in and found her that way," said Reel.
Firefighters managed to get the woman out and were able to put the blaze out within 15 minutes, but not in time to save her.
"She was unconscious at the scene and they brought her down to St. Mary's Hospital where the on call emergency physician pronounced her," said Chief DePasquale.
Fire officials said the fire started in the living room and are calling it accidental. They told New 10 it will still take several days for them to determine the exact cause.
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