Woman dies in Northland house fire, would-be rescuer injured

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - One woman died and her would-be rescuer was seriously injured in a Northland house fire Tuesday night.

Kansas City firefighters were called out to the blaze in the 3900 block of NE 51st Terrace just after 8:30 p.m.

While crews initially thought the house was vacant, they found a man in the backyard and a woman inside.

According to the Kansas City Fire Department, the woman was trapped inside a back bedroom when the flames broke out. The man -- a 55-year-old delivery driver who saw the flames while passing by -- tried to rescue her but was overcome with smoke. He is in serious but stable condition.

Firefighters were able to get the woman out of the home, but she was pronounced dead at a local hospital. She was in her 40s.

Fire officials said the home had no working smoke detectors.