Lower Valley house fire turns deadly

An elderly woman died and six others were taken to the hospital as a result of a house fire in the Lower Valley.

Two of the injured were children.

An El Paso Fire Department spokesman told ABC-7 a 78-year-old woman taken to Del Sol Medical Center died. It is not known whether she died due to smoke inhalation, burns, both were severe, or another medical condition.

The fire broke out Wednesday morning on the 7400 block of Sequoia.

Four people were inside the home when a fire started just before 9 a.m. El Paso Fire Dept. officials said that if it weren’t for neighbors who heard children screaming, and broke into the house to save them, they could have died, too.

Firefighters rescued the78-year-old and a 51-year-old man from the house. ABC-7 has learned the woman was the children’s great-grandmother, and the man is their grandfather.

Fire officials said it was an electrical fire that started in the living room because of a lamp. Total damage is estimated at $100,000.

The man is in critical condition for severe burns and is being closely watched at Lubbock Burn Center.

Firefighters said the rescue was impeded by barred-windows. They are unsure whether the house had smoke detectors due to the damage.