Central Indiana woman dies in fire that destroyed her home

MIDDLETOWN, Ind. (AP) - A central Indiana woman died Saturday when a fire destroyed her home, authorities said.

The 77-year-old victim's body was found in the severely damaged house, Middletown Fire Chief Brian Rednour said. Her name was not immediately released.

Loud explosions were heard as the house rapidly became engulfed in flames, The Star Press reported.

A neighbor and a Middletown police officer tried to enter the house, but the heat was too intense for them, Rednour said.

The cause of the fire was under investigation. There was difficulty in turning off the natural gas supply to the house, resulting in flames remaining visible in a portion of the structure for an extended period, Rednour said.

The victim's dog also died in the fire. Her husband had died in December, Rednour said.

Middletown is 38 miles (60 kilometers) northeast of Indianapolis.