An elderly woman died early Sunday morning after a fire broke out in her apartment in the Bronx.

According to police, the fire started just after 3 a.m. in the kitchen of a third floor apartment in the building located on Grand Concourse near 198th Street. 

Fire officials say while fighting the fire they discovered a 78-year-old woman unconscious in the kitchen.

Her next door neighbor said he tried to help firefighters try to save the woman.

"I helped them so they can be able to put the hoses through my apartment and get up to the floor so they could be able to put the fire out," the neighbor said.

The fire was contained to the woman's apartment.

The cause is under investigation.