Neighbours say a woman, who was blind and confined to a wheelchair, died after she was trapped inside a house fire in Calgary's southeast community of Dover.

Fire crews were called to the 200 block of Dovely Place around 7:30 p.m. MT Monday to find smoke pouring from a home.

Officials said three people were inside the house when the fire broke out, but two people managed to get out on their own and told firefighters that another person was still inside.

Bill Daniel, acting battalion chief, says firefighters soon discovered the body of one person inside the home.

"At this time I don't have a gender or age, can't confirm that," he said. "Also, it's very early in the investigation. I have no confirmation one way or the other on [the] cause."

Carla Mindel, who lives next door, says neighbours tried to help rescue the victim — a woman who was blind and confined to a wheelchair.

"There was people running around out front," she said. "They had the garden hose, they had the front door kicked in, they were trying to get her out but didn't make it, I guess. Two other people got out. I'm not sure if it was her husband and son or whoever it was."

Another neighbour, Tara Farrell, helped take care of the woman's house when she was younger.

"She was a wonderful person.... She was always caring for people," she said, adding the news is very upsetting.

Neighbour Diana Owen said she heard the fire crackling and saw black smoke on Monday night.

Owen didn't know the victim well but said she was known in the community to be a very kind, sweet woman.

Investigators are trying to determine what caused the fire. Daniel said while the fire was kept to the room of origin there was heavy smoke damage throughout the house.