A 55-YEAR-OLD woman has died in a house fire.

Firefighters were called after neighbours reported seeing smoke billowing from the terrace house yesterday morning.

Witnesses said neighbours forced open the front door but were unable to get to the woman because of the smoke.

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One neighbour in Greenfield Avenue, Chatburn said the woman could be seen trying to get out of a first floor window, but was unable to open it.

Two crews from Clitheroe and one from Hyndburn Fire Station attended the blaze at around 8.15am.

A spokesman for the fire service said the woman was found unresponsive in a first floor bedroom at the front of the property. She was later pronounced dead by paramedics.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

The woman has not been named but police said next of kin had been informed.

Neighbours said the woman had lived in the house for around two years.

Ian Ireland, 47, who lives in Greenfield Avenue, said: “I saw smoke billowing out the window at about 8.15am. I thought the house was empty. Her dad, whose house it is, lives in the Lake District.

“I went outside and saw two guys at the front door. They had managed to get it open but there was too much smoke to get inside. The the fire brigade arrived.

“Somebody said they saw the woman trying to get out of the front window. I can’t imagine what was going though her mind. It’s terrible.

“I didn’t really know the woman that well. She never really came out of the house. I spoke to her dad more. He’s a really nice bloke. My thoughts are with him.”

Another resident said: “I saw smoke coming out of the house. I went across the road to see if I could help but the fire brigade were just arriving.

“We didn’t see much of her. I knew her to say hello to. It’s such a tragic thing to happen.”

There was nobody else in the house when firefighters arrived and police confirmed the woman lived alone in the property.

There was a police guard outside the house yesterday and forensic officers in white suits could be seen carrying items out of the house before taking them away in a crime scene investigation van.

A police spokesman said: “We are working with our colleagues from the fire service following a fatal house fire in Chatburn yesterday morning.

“We were notified of the blaze at around 8.20am after a member of the public had seen a house on fire on Greenfield Avenue.

“Sadly, a 55-year-old woman from Chatburn was found dead inside one of the bedrooms.

“The cause of the fire is under investigation.”

A spokesman for the fire service said: “Two fire engines and crews from Clitheroe and an engine and crew from Hyndburn responded to a 999 call reporting a fire at a house in which it was feared someone may be trapped.

“Four firefighters equipped with breathing apparatus and a hosereel jet entered the property and located a casualty inside who was sadly pronounced as deceased by paramedics.

“An investigation into the cause of the fire is underway.

“This is a tragedy and our condolences go out to the person’s family.”