TARPON SPRINGS, Fla. — Firefighters in Tarpon Springs are investigating a midday house fire that claimed the life of an elderly woman.
- Fire happened Thursday on East Locust Street
- Neighbors said the woman lived alone
The fire broke out just before 12:30 p.m. Thursday in the 700 block of East Locust Street.
Police said it was one of the victim's relatives who saw the house was on fire and called 911.
Neighbors said the woman lived alone. It is believed she was the grandmother of Tarpon Springs City Commissioner Jacob Karr.
Karr was at the home Thursday afternoon and was removing items from inside. He later provided a statement to Spectrum Bay News 9:
"My grandmother was a great woman with a servant's heart her whole life. She was one of 12 children originally from north Georgia. We are celebrating the wonderful days we had with her and the good memories. Today was a tragic day for our family, but we have hope that she is in a better place with our faith in Christ."
The woman's name hasn't been released by officials.
Authorities are still investigating the cause of the fire.