NEW LONDON, CT (WFSB) -
An elderly woman who was rescued from her New London home after it caught fire over the weekend has died.
When firefighters pulled Isabella Roth from her Holly Terrace home, she was not breathing, but rescuers were able to resuscitate her and rush her to the hospital.
She would have turned 90 years old next month.
Neighbors said Roth lived by herself inside the home since the 70s. Officials said she was inside the home when the fire broke out around 3 p.m. Saturday afternoon.
Flames quickly spread throughout the home and began to shoot from windows.
"It was very sad today to learn of her passing. Her death is a tragedy to our community," said Mayor Darryl Finizio
Firefighters said they broke into two groups, one setting out to control the blaze, while the other began to search the home for Roth.
Emergency crews said they found her unconscious on the dining room floor.
"She was found on the floor and we rapidly removed her, put her in the back of an ambulance and started resuscitation efforts," said New London Battalion Chief Henry Kydd.
Eyewitness News has learned from a source close to the investigation that a living room couch may have caught fire first and they are looking at the homeowner's smoking habits as a possible cause.
Her relatives said they were thankful for the firefighters and other emergency officials for the quick response.
The blaze remains under investigation.
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