Fire crews at the scene of today's fatal house fire

An elderly woman died at the scene of a house fire in Hornchurch today, and her sister lived.

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The unmarried siblings, thought to be in their 80s and named locally as Irene and Betty Hussey, shared their home in Rosebank Avenue.

It is not known which of the two perished.

Fire crews were called to the scene at around 12.30pm.

It is believed men from a passing removals van saw the blaze, alerted authorities, and launched a rescue attempt.

Paramedics, including a doctor from London’s air ambulance, battled to save the victim, but she was pronounced dead at the scene.

The surviving sister was flown to The Royal London Hospital, in Whitechapel.

Her condition is not known.

The fire, thought to have been electrical, is not being treated as suspicious.