Deadly house fire in Winter Park

WINTER PARK, Fla. (FOX 35 WOFL) - A fire in a quiet neighborhood has left an elderly woman dead and another woman homeless. Winter Park Police and the State Fire Marshal's office said they're doing everything they can to find out how and why this fire started.

“We thoroughly investigate every scene we have here. We're not saying anything is necessarily suspicious, but we're investigating it to the end,” said Winter Park Police Capt. Pam Marcum.

They said an elderly woman died in the fire at the Bell Place home, and another woman living there managed to escape unharmed. They couldn't say yet how the woman died. Firefighters said the fire spread quickly. They said it started around 3:30 in the morning and within four minutes it was burning through the roof.

Winter Park Fire Rescue said they acted quickly to fight the flames. They said they put out the flames within three minutes but it was too late to save the woman. Detective Amelie Hitchcock, with the State Fire Marshal's Office, said it's always important to be prepared for house fires.

“Be mindful of your situation and surroundings. Make sure you have active alarms and you have, like you're taught in school, exits from your residence,” she said. Police haven't released the name of either victim.