Police say a woman hurt in a fire still burning on west side had been stabbed

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - Indianapolis firefighters battled a blaze on the city's west side only to discover a woman inside the home had also been stabbed.

Witnesses watched as a firefighter pulled the woman, later identified as Helen Lopez, 18, from the burning home.

"You could see a lot of blood on the sheets," the witness told 24-Hour News 8.

Indianapolis Fire Department was called to the scene in the 1100 block of Centennial Street at about 8:15 a.m. Monday and found heavy smoke. As they entered the home, they found Lopez inside. Police said she was in critical  condition and was in surgery at Wishard Memorial Hospital as of about 9 a.m. Monday.

• PHOTOS | See firefighters battle the blaze

Neighbors said she lived with her boyfriend. He was at work when the fire began.

"I'm a good judge of character, and I would be really surprised if it was him, he seemed like a really nice guy, there's a previous history with the previous owners and it hadn't been good," said neighbor Ricky Shearer.

The fire traveled quickly through the upper floor and attic of the home, IFD said, and firefighters working inside were evacuated because the fire compromised the structure's integrity. The firefighters then took to aerial ladders and were able to bring the fire under control in about 40 minutes, IFD said.

Battalion Chief Mickey Radez said with an estimated $80,000 in damage, the house was a total loss.