Family friend Jay Broussard said, "When the explosion occurred, it blew the windows out. Air coming in made the fire spread fast, so as a result she was trapped in the front room. The provider couldn't get to her."
Trapped, alone and frightened – neighbors say the elderly homeowner was in no condition to help herself.
"She could move herself around in her house but not in a situation like this," said neighbor Roland Thompson. "She has been on oxygen for years."
Neighbors say they and firefighters did all they could to get her out.
Family friend Cedric Robbins said, "Tried to go through the window, there were burglar bars. Tried to go through the front door, but we couldn't get through the front door."
A fixture in this neighborhood, Miss Annie Morning was well liked by everyone. While the cause of the fire that claimed her life remains under investigation, one thing is certain -- she'll be missed.
"I would go and sit with her, counsel her the best way I knew how... Pray with her, sang with her," said neighbor Alice Johns.
Once the scene is clear, fire investigators say the home will be demolished.
