Firefighters reportedly battled the blaze, which is being described as accidental, for hours
NEED TO KNOW
- An Arizona man was hospitalized after reportedly trying to save his wife from a deadly house fire over the weekend
- The blaze, which is being described as accidental remains under investigation
- Firefighters battled the flames for hours as neighbors attempted to help before first responders arrived
An man was reportedly unable to pull his wife out of their burning home after a fire broke out in Glendale, Ariz., over the weekend.
Serlina Yuk-King Yee, 76, died of smoke inhalation, according to José Miguel Santiago, a spokesperson for Glendale Police Department.
Her husband, who has not been identified, "is currently in the hospital being treated for smoke inhalation,” Santiago tells PEOPLE. “The incident is being ruled as accidental.”
Emergency crews arrived to the scene at 1:30 a.m. local time on Sunday, June 14, according to the Glendale Fire Department. The husband was outside the home when rescuers went inside. Yee was alive and transported to the hospital, where she later died.
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Neighbor Don McDowell, who lives across the street, told Arizona's Family that the couple, in their 70s, had dealt with some health issues.
“He [the husband] was pretty mobile. The lady was on a walker and she was not in good physical condition at all,” McDowell said.
He said Yee's husband tried to pull her out of their home but was unable to do so.
The cause of the blaze remains under investigation, but a fire mitigation team at the scene indicated to Arizona's Family that it may have started near the center of the residence and appeared to be electrical.
"That fire was spreading rapidly and that could have probably lit up this whole block," neighbor Brandon Ojeda told local station Fox 10.
Firefighters battled the flames for hours. Ojed, a Marine Corps veteran, said he grabbed a fire extinguisher himself to try and help before stepping down for first responders.
"I would hope that the neighbors would do the same thing for us," he said.
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