MCKEES ROCKS, — Firefighters and police say they couldn’t get to an ill woman who was trapped by fire in her basement apartment where she has been found dead.

Authorities were still investigating the cause of the fire reported about 3:30 a.m. today in McKees Rocks.

Investigators have not released the name of the dead woman but say she was middle-aged and known to be disabled, possibly from recent hip-replacement surgery.

A retired firefighter who lived in the same apartment building knew of the woman’s condition and tried to rescue her, but was turned back by a wall of fire when he kicked open her door.

There were no other immediate reports of injuries in the fire.