An elderly woman was critically burned when combustibles near a space heater started a fire in her Fort Worth home Thursday morning.
According to the Fort Worth Fire Department, firefighters returning to their station after a call spotted smoke rising in a nearby neighborhood. They went to investigate and found a home on fire on the 900 block of E. Maddox Avenue.
Upon arrival, firefighters talked with an adult standing outside the home who said his mother was still inside.
Firefighters entered the house and found the woman in an upstairs bedroom. Rescuers were able to remove the injured woman from the house and begin CPR.
According to MedStar ambulance, the patient was a woman in her 80s who suffered 2nd-degree burns. She was transported first to a local hospital before being transferred to the Parkland Regional Burn Center in Dallas.
Investigators said the fire was started when combustible material was left too close to a space heater. The material ignited and then spread to other items in the room.
Firefighters said there was one smoke detector found inside the home, but that it was not mounted on the wall and did not have a battery inside. The fire department would like to remind residents that if they do not have a working smoke detector, they can request one from the Fort Worth Fire Department, free of charge, by calling 817-392-6862 or by visiting this web page.
