Dishwasher fire kills 95-year-old woman

A 95-year-old woman died after a fire sparked by a dishwasher broke out in a Rockville Centre apartment early Tuesday morning, according to the Rockville Centre Police Department.

Lieutenant Peter Pellegrino said that the fire was started at 7:12 a.m. from a dishwasher in one of the first floor apartments.  Firefighters from Rockville Centre, Malverne, Lakeview and Lynbrook, as well as the Rockville Centre Police Department, reported to the scene and saw that the kitchen of the apartment was filled with black smoke. They evacuated all three floors of the north side of the building, he said. 

The unnamed woman attempted to put out the fire, according to detectives, and she was found with severe burns to her torso and limbs. Pellegrino said she was taken to Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow for treatment but was pronounced dead at 1:02 p.m.. Other residents, firefighters and police officers were evaluated at the scene, but no other serious injuries were sustained, he said. 

The investigation is ongoing, detectives said.