Officials: Woman, 62, dies in Cobb County condo fire

COBB COUNTY, Ga. - Fire officials are investigating a deadly fire at a condominium complex in Cobb County Tuesday morning. 

Firefighters said the blaze broke out just before 7:30 a.m. at a unit on Drennon Avenue in Austell. 

A 62-year-old woman and her small dog were killed when a fire tore through their condo. 

Neighbors said they could see flames shooting through the roof of the condo.

"You could see the flames coming from the top of the house," said Karen Frerichs who is a friend of the woman who lived there. 

Cobb County Fire investigators said the blaze started in an upstairs bedroom and raced through the condo. Fire crews pushed their way through the heat and flames and pulled out the woman and a man. The woman later died at the hospital. A third person, the wife of the man, was also inside at the time, she got out without any injuries. 

Neighbors gathered outside the home Tuesday.  Many said the woman who died had a heart of gold. They say she would often feed and help the homeless. 

"If she sees someone struggling and was homeless she'd bring them in, cook them a meal, let them have a bath, she took care of everybody," said Frerichs.

Angel Riviera lives next door. His condo had some smoke and water damage, but his concern was for his neighbor. 

"If there was someone who was sent from heaven it was her," said Riviera.

He said less than 15 hours earlier they were all at his home discussing plans for Thanksgiving. 

"We were all laughing and joking and talking about Thanksgiving and here we are talking about her passing," said Riviera.

Fire investigators said at this point it appears the fire was accidental.