81-Year-Old Woman Killed In Deer Park Fire

DEER PARK, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- A house fire left a Long Island woman dead Sunday morning, authorities said.

Police on routine patrol noticed smoke coming from a house at 112 Pine St. in Deer Park just before 5 a.m. Sunday.

Multiple fire departments responded and discovered Eleanor Di Dea, 81, dead on the first floor of the home, CBS2's Ilana Gold reported.

Investigators say the smoke alarm went off and believe Di Dea tried to get out of the home.

Neighbor Jose Talavera who has known the woman his entire life is devastated.

"I immediately bolted outside I already saw the fire department but was ready to rush in there and get her out myself," Talavera said. "Since I was a little boy I would do whatever I could for her -- she was like my grandmother."

A preliminary investigation found the cause of the fire to be electrical in nature.

The cause of Di Dea's death had not been released as of Sunday morning.