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One Woman Dead, Another Injured In Oak Lawn House Fire

OAK LAWN (CBS) -- One woman is dead and another is in the hospital after a house fire in Oak Lawn.

Firefighters arrived at the house at 3 a.m. following a call from a neighbor. They made their way inside and found Kathryn Lomec, 73, on a couch in the front family room where she died.

Firefighters say the fire was contained to a single room. A second woman was rescued by firefighters after she was found in a back hallway.

"She was unresponsive when they moved her from the building, and they resuscitated her in the back of the ambulance and they transported her to Christ Hospital for further care," said Scott Boman, Assistant Chief of Oak Lawn Fire Dept.

Neighbors tell CBS 2's Courtney Gousman the two were sisters and both were widows.

"Elderly, elderly and failing health. Especially the one and I think the other one was here to, you know, help out," said neighbor Tom Cozz.

Frank Mackert has lived next door for more than 40 years.

"We did what we could. We shoveled the snow for them where we could and stuff like that, cut the grass," said Mackert.

Firefighters say they believe the fire was accidental and it is being investigated by the state fire marshal.

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