REHOBOTH, Mass. (WHDH) -- A deadly fire in a Rehoboth home claimed the life of a woman inside.

Two teenage neighbors spotted the smoke and knew something wasn't right.

“The vents at the top were actually pouring smoke out of them, like all the vents at the top of the house, there was smoke coming out of all of them,” said David Wilkins.

Around 9 a.m. Sunday, David Wilkins and Justin Pacheco ran up to the home on Pine Grove Road in Rehoboth and attempted to kick in the front door.

“There's only one lady living there, and we start banging on the doors, hard as I could, there was no answer, so I had to call 911,” said Justin Pacheco.

Neighbors and the first responding police officer tried to get inside the house to save the woman, but they all said they couldn't get through the front door.

“Tried entering from numerous doorways and whatnot, and because of the access, it was difficult to get in,” said Chief Robert Pray.

Neighbors said the woman kept a lot of things inside her house.

“There was no answer at the door so they got in eventually using a battering ram,” said Wilkins.

After finally getting inside, firefighters found the homeowner, in the lower level of the house.

Officials said the victim, a woman in her 60's, died.

Neighbors said the woman worked for the post office for more than 40 years. She was retired and lived alone.

“She loved animals, she had a couple cats, always pleasant, she loved working on her yard, until she had a fall a few years ago then she worked less on it,” said neighbor, Len Cinq-mars.

“Always a smile, always cordial, always very pleasant,” said Cinq-mars.

The cats also died in the fire.

Investigators believe the fire started in the basement of the home, but it's unclear what sparked the blaze.