EAST MOLINE, Illinois -- Firefighters struggled Tuesday afternoon to put out a fire at a two-story home in East Moline, as crews remained at the scene late into the evening to monitor hot spots among the contents of the house.
An older woman who lived there alone was in stable condition when she was transported to an area hospital. The East Moline Fire Chief Rob DeFrance said a relative helped her and her two cats get out of the home before first responders arrived.
A handful of neighbors gathered to watch firefighters put out the blaze. Austin Bowman, who lives across the street, said the woman does not get out of the house much.
"She's been having so many problems," Bowman said. "Just the past year, her house flooded. Now it's on fire. She's 90 years old," he said.
The fire chief said the woman's house has sustained significant water, smoke and fire damage.
"The weather's not a big deal, but there's an awful lot of contents in this home," DeFrance said. "This person probably lived here a long time and has a lot of furniture, so we did have some issues with pathways and blocked doors."
