Elderly Woman Killed In Granada Hills House Fire

GRENADA HILLS (CBSLA) — A 73-year-old woman was killed in a house fire that the Los Angeles Fire Department says was fueled by "excessive storage conditions."

Firefighters found the woman, who they identified as Cheryl Frerking, in the kitchen after extinguishing the fire.

Her 76-year-old husband escaped unharmed by the time firefighters arrived, according to LAFD.

It took more than 80 firefighters almost an hour  to knock down the flames, after being dispatched to the residence a little after 5 a.m. Saturday.

The house, located on the 10000 block of North Densmore Avenue, sustained a partial roof collapse as a result of the fire, which burned on the main floor, attic, and subfloor, according to LAFD.

"The heavy fire load, from excessive belongings, intensified the flames to the point that the radiant heat broke a window of the house next door," said Nicholas Prange of the LA Fire Department.

There was no evidence of a functional smoke alarm, according to LAFD.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)