CAPE ELIZABETH — A 65-year-old woman was found dead in the smoky kitchen of her Cape Elizabeth condominium Friday afternoon by firefighters who were called there to put out a stove fire.

Sgt. Joel Davis of the state Fire Marshal’s Office said it was not immediately clear whether Lamy Alkurdy died as a result of the fire or a medical problem.

Firefighters received a call from her daughter shortly after 1 p.m. after she arrived to find smoke coming out of her mother’s home, neighbors at the scene said.

Alkurdy, who was identified Friday night by Davis after other family members had been notified, was pronounced dead at her home at 75 Starboard Drive.

Davis said her body would be taken by a local funeral home to the state medical examiner’s office for an autopsy to be conducted Saturday morning to determine the cause of her death.

“It was a kitchen fire on the stove top. We don’t know whether or not the victim tried to put it out or what happened,” Davis said, speaking to reporters outside the woman’s home.

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Kate Durgin of Steep Falls arrived at the condominium complex to visit her mother shortly after the fire started and was shocked to learn that Alkurdy, with whom she had spoken Christmas night, had died.

“She was a very kind, very happy woman, always with her family,” Durgin said.

Cape Elizabeth Fire/Rescue Chief Peter Gleeson said the fire was not very extensive and was quickly extinguished.

Firefighters at the scene were already rolling up hoses by the time Davis arrived to investigate.

Neighbors in the adjacent condominiums were briefly evacuated while firefighters worked, Davis said.


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