Woman Who Died In Fire Helped Family Evacuate, Returned To Try To Save Pets: Authorities

SPOTSYLVANIA COUNTY, VA — A woman died on Sunday morning in a house fire in Spotsylvania County after she reentered the burning home in an attempt to save several pets, fire officials said.

Officials have not publicly released the name of the woman who died.

Authorities learned of the fire on Jim Morris Road just before 8 a.m. on Sunday. A call reported that someone was trapped in the burning building.

Crews arrived on the scene five minutes later and found smoke coming from throughout the home and fire venting through the front of the building, according to a report from the fire department. Firefighters worked to extinguish the blaze and search the home for the trapped person.

Authorities said that there were three people in the home when the fire began. One woman discovered the fire and helped her sister and husband evacuate, the fire department said.

She then reentered the home in an attempt to save several pets, according to authorities. Officials believe she was overcome by the smoke and not able to leave the home.

The other two people were taken to a hospital to receive treatment for smoke inhalation. They are expected to recover, authorities said.

Investigators are still working to determine what caused the fire.

"We mourn with the family at the loss of their loved one who died after heroically saving other family members," Spotsylvania County Fire, Rescue, and Emergency Management said on Facebook. "We ask everyone to never reenter a building on fire to save pets or belongings, urging everyone to 'get out and stay out' in the event of a fire."

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