PETERS TOWNSHIP (KDKA) — A community is in mourning today following the death of one of their neighbors when fire broke out at a home in Washington County.

According to the Washington County Coroner’s Office, 64-year-old Mary Ann Detrick was discovered inside the house on East McMurray Road in Peters Township around 8 a.m.

Detrick was found by police and emergency officials called to the fire.

“It is a loss and it’s a shock too – to have something like this happen,” said Rebecca Myers, a neighbor. “She was very kind-hearted, and I know she worked down the road at a daycare with children. She’ll be missed.”

It is believed that the fire started just before 7 a.m. A neighbor says drivers passing by on East McMurray Road saw flames shooting from a bedroom window.

“First officer was on scene in two minutes,” said Sgt. Robert Kemp, of the Peters Township Police Department. ”Neighbors reported the woman was still in the house. He kicked open the kitchen door went in and brought her back out.”

She was pronounced dead at the scene. The Coroner’s Office reports that Detrick died from smoke inhalation.

Neighbors describe her as a kind-hearted woman who always kept to herself.

“It is a tragedy for someone who has lived a good life, never harmed anybody, did for others as much as she could possibly, and to suffer this type of tragedy – it is very sad, very unfortunate,” said Bill Tomey, another neighbor.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the state police fire marshal.

Stay with KDKA for a full report on this developing story.

RELATED LINKS:
Washington County Coroner’s Office
More News from Washington County