Woman, 78, Dies in Early Morning House Fire on Northwest Side

SAN ANTONIO – A 78-year-old woman was killed in a house fire in San Antonio’s Northwest Side in the pre-dawn hours of Thursday, according to the San Antonio Fire Department. The blaze, which is now under investigation by arson officials, engulfed a home in the 200 block of Southill Road.

The fire was reported at approximately 3:30 a.m. Neighbors, who knew the elderly woman lived alone, alerted authorities. Responding San Antonio Police Department officers made an attempt to enter the residence but were forced back by heavy smoke.

Fire crews arrived on the scene shortly after and worked to control the blaze, which officials say appears to have originated in the back of the house. Firefighters were able to pull the woman from the home, but she was pronounced dead at the scene. Her identity has not yet been officially released, pending notification of next of kin.

Neighbors described the victim as a quiet woman who cared for her pets, including three dogs and some birds. The fate of the animals is not immediately clear.

The San Antonio Fire Department stated that the house sustained moderate damage, primarily concentrated at the rear of the structure. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, and arson investigators were on-site to determine the origin and circumstances of the blaze.

No other injuries were reported in the incident. Fire officials have not yet released further details.