Philadelphia School Teacher Dies in House Fire

The fire started at a home on the 600 block of Renz Street around 7:45 a.m.

Friends and family are mourning a Philadelphia elementary school teacher who died in a house fire in the Roxborough section of the city Sunday morning.

The fire started at a home on the 600 block of Renz Street around 7:45 a.m. A 62-year-old woman, later identified as Sheila Hawkins, was found unresponsive inside the home. She was taken to Temple University Hospital where she was pronounced dead at 8:45 a.m.

Four other people were rescued from the fire and taken to local hospitals. Officials say neighbors helped during the rescues. One neighbor told NBC10 they rescued two people while firefighters pulled a woman from the home.

Hawkins was a third grade teacher at Shawmont Elementary School. Officials have not yet revealed the cause of the fire.

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