Officials are hesitant to say how Alzak died prior to the results of the autopsy being available, and as of Wednesday evening the results were not available.
07/12/11-Springfield-Staff Photo by Dave Roback- Springfield police and firefighters enter the home at 100 Phillips Ave. in Springfield where a woman was found dead on Wednesday afternoon. SPRINGFIELD – Springfield police continue to investigate the suspicious death of a 81-year old woman who was found dead Tuesday at Phillips Avenue house fire but without disclosing what makes her death suspicious.
An autopsy for Doris Alzak was scheduled for Wednesday at the Medical Examiner’s Office in Boston, said Springfield police Sgt. John Delaney, spokesman for Commissioner William Fitchet.
Officials are hesitant to say how Alzak died prior to the results of the autopsy being available, and as of Wednesday evening the results were not available.
Officials have also not disclosed how the fire started.
Hampden District Attorney Mark Mastroianni said he could not comment on the case, other than to say it is under investigation and the death is considered suspicious.
He declined to say what about her death made it suspicious. Mastroianni said he is waiting for the autopsy results, and information on the cause of death will be released then.
Firefighters responding to a 3 p.m. fire at 100 Phillips Ave. found Alzak dead in a living room chair.
The fire was reported by city sanitation workers who saw smoke coming from the windows while driving through the neighborhood collecting trash.
The fire, which caused $60,000 damage to the house, was extinguished quickly by firefighters. The scene was almost immediately termed a crime scene, and Springfield detectives, members of the city Arson and Bomb Squad and the state Fire Marshal’s Office.
Police have said there were no signs of forced entry into the home.