Elderly woman dies, 1 injured in blaze

BALTIMORE (WMAR) - Fire officials identified an elderly woman killed in an East Baltimore fire Sunday night.

Baltimore City Fire Department Spokesman Chief Kevin Cartwright said fire fighters found the body of Gertie Horton, 88, inside a home in the 2200 block of East North Ave Sunday evening. Officials said it appeared the woman died due to smoke inhalation and burns; however the official cause of death will be determined by the State Medical Examiner's Office.

Firefighters were called to the home in the 2200 block of East North Ave. just before 6:40 p.m. Sunday for a report of a fire in a two-story rowhouse. When crews arrived at the scene they found heavy smoke and fire on the first floor of the home.

Firefighters found Horton as they made their way into the building to fight the blaze.

A good Samaritan neighbor suffered a possible fractured leg when he tried to rescue the elderly woman.  He was treated at the scene and taken to Johns Hopkins Hospital for further evaluation.

Fire investigators and Police arson detectives are investigating the cause of the fire.