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A Florida woman in her 80s, who neighbors say was known to be a "hoarder," was found dead in her home following a Christmas night house fire.
The Volusia Sheriff's Office says they responded to the house fire around 9 p.m. Sunday in Deltona, Florida, and said the body of a woman in her 80s was found after firefighters put out the flames, WOFL-TV reported.
Neighbors told the outlet that the city of Deltona as well as the fire marshal had visited the home several times, including a few months before the fire, urging the woman to clear out some of the clutter in the home.
Crews previously filled several large dumpsters with items the woman had saved around the house and in the yard. Neighbors say clearing those items was barely enough to clear a pathway to the door from inside.
A Florida woman who neighbors say was a hoarder was found dead after a Christmas night fire. (WOFL-TV)
Neighbors had grown concerned that the piles were causing a fire hazard, WOFL-TV reported, and also said that the homeowner had been going around asking people for an extension cord for her space heater on the night of the fire.
The fire department is still investigating the cause of the fire but warned of the potential dangers of extension cords.
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A Florida woman who neighbors say was a hoarder was found dead after a Christmas night fire (WOFL-TV)
"A lot of times, extension cords are not rated for the amount of electricity that’s being generated," Battalion Chief Scott Smoak with Volusia County Fire Rescue said. "Therefore, the extension cords what up, they start to melt, and they malfunction, and then that causes an electric short which causes fires."
Neighbors described the deceased woman, who has not been publicly identified, as nice and say that she lived alone but has a daughter who lives out of state.
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Neighbors of the woman in her 80s say she had been asking around for an extension cord before the fire. (WOFL-TV)
Neighbors say they would often try to help the woman out by bringing her food and assisting her when she needed it.
The Volusia Sheriff's Office did not respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital by time of publication.
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