Woman, 92, dies after morning house fire in Bensalem

BENSALEM, Pa. (WTXF) - Bensalem police say Julia Pachucki, 92, died in the hospital, a short time after she was found trapped in a first-floor bedroom and removed through the window by emergency crews.

A man also living in the home, who was able to get himself out, was also taken to the hospital and is listed in critical condition.

Fire crews say hoarding inside the home made this fire extremely difficult to fight.

Battalion Chief Robert Sponheimer of the Bensalem Fire Department told FOX 29 News the house had two stories and a basement.

Officials say there was a lot of storage on all three levels from floor-to-ceiling.

"The amount of debris was unsafe for the firefighters. That's why we removed everybody from the dwelling and fought the fire from the outside," Sponheimer said.

He added, hoarding is becoming more of a problem and it's very dangerous, not only for occupants but also first responders. In this case, they couldn't see where the fire was burning because of all the debris.

The investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing, but officials have confirmed the fire began in the basement.