A fire Wednesday morning in Sudbury, Massachusetts, left a 73-year-old woman dead and sent two other people -- her son and a police officer who tried to save her -- to the hospital.
The fire broke out around 5 a.m. at a 9,000-square-foot home on Goodman's Hill Road. Hema Shahani, who was disabled, was unable to escape.
"It was shocking and scary and very worrisome that -- how much time do we have, what's going to happen to her," said her other son, Jeet Shahani, in an interview with NBC10 Boston.
The son who tried to help his mother was burned, while the police officer suffered smoke inhalation. Both were hospitalized after trying to save the former teacher, but are expected to be OK.
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"She was gracious, and inspirational, and a kind person," Jeet Shahani said. "I've been getting a lot of messages from everybody today."
Hema Shahani, her husband, one of her sons and her helper were all home when the fire broke out at the house. She was found on the first floor.
"Having sprinkler systems would've helped in this case, you know, in any house," Jeet Shahani said. "But that's not really what's required, so things like that would've been important."
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The cause of the fire is under investigation.
