Pensioner dies in house fire

An elderly lady has been found dead by firefighters attending a house fire in Crawley this morning (Sunday).
West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service were called shortly after 9:30am by a neighbour who spotted smoke coming from the bedroom window of a house in Rye Ash, in the Three Bridges area of Crawley.
Three crews from Crawley Fire Station were mobilised and were in attendance just five minutes later. The house was secure so they forced their way in through a double glazed front door before making their way upstairs.
The female casualty was found in a rear bedroom but unfortunately was already deceased. She has been identified as Elaine Cuthbert and the fire was restricted to just the bedroom where she was found.
Fire Investigation Officers are working with Police Scenes of Crime Officers to try and establish how the fire started, although they are not treating the fire as suspicious. It is not clear at this stage if the lady died from natural causes or as a result of the fire.