An 83-year-old pensioner, Norma Semple, of Block 22 Wismar, Linden, perished in a house fire of “unknown origin” on Monday, between 2:15 and 2:50 hours, according to police in a news release.
Police said Semple resided alone in a fully furnished one-story wooden structure in a completely fenced yard.
Neighbour Alita Prowell told police that she was inside her home when she heard a loud and continuous cracking sound which caused her to look through her window and observed the said home completely engulfed in flames.
As a result an alarm was raised and neighbours sought to rescue the octogenarian but were pushed back by the flames, police said, adding that the fire station was summoned and the fire was eventually extinguished.
