Elderly woman found dead in burning NE Atlanta apartment

ATLANTA - A woman was found dead inside a northeast Atlanta apartment after a fire on Monday evening.

The flames broke out just before 9 p.m. at an apartment complex located at Lakemoore Drive NE near Roswell Road. 

Fire officials say they arrived to find flames shooting out of the third-story apartment. A bystander told crews there was at least one person trapped inside.

A woman was found dead inside a northeast Atlanta apartment after a fire on Jan. 2, 2023.  (FOX 5)

Firefighters say they got to work quickly trying to get inside to find the woman, but burglar bars and locked doors slowed their response.

By the time they were able to get inside, the crews found the victim's body lying in the apartment.

"Units found the victim inside the building. Unfortunately they succumbed to their injuries," Battalion Chief Quincey Watts said. "There was no way for her to get out, and the fire had already grown so big." 

The victim was described as an elderly woman. Her cause of death was not immediately known.

The name of the woman has not been released.

Official say a cat also died in the fire.

Crews were able to get the fire under control.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.