Neighbors hailed as heroes after pulling burning woman

DAYTON, Ind. (WISH) - Several neighbors are being called heroes after they rescued a woman from a burning house, but despite their efforts, the woman died late Tuesday night.

The fire happened Tuesday morning in Dayton, southeast of Lafayette, 24-Hour News 8 sister station WLFI-TV reports. Several people heard the woman screaming and tried to pull her out.

One of them, Keith Henderson, said he was driving by the house when he saw the others struggling. He quickly stopped to help out.

"I was on my way home from work, and I saw the house was on fire, and the women were yelling for me to come help," Henderson said. "She was badly burned and halfway out the door. I've never seen anything like that. It was scary."

The woman was taken to IU Health Arnett in Lafayette in critical condition, and was subsequently taken to Wishard Memorial Hospital in Indianapolis. She was pronounced dead late Tuesday night.

The Tippecanoe County Arson Task Force and the Indiana State Fire Marshal are assisting in the investigation.

Tippecanoe County Sheriff Tracy Brown said the cause of the fire remains under investigation.