Newton House Fire Kills TV Producer, Professor

An early morning fire in Newton Monday has killed an award-winning television producer and local college professor. Beth Deare hosted the longtime public affairs program "Say Brother." She also taught at Bunker Hill Community College.

Newton Fire Chief Bruce Proia said firefighters were able to rescue another person from the building.

"A woman was rescued from the second floor landing over a ladder. She told the companies there was another woman inside. The companies advanced hose lines and did a primary search and could not find anything. Had a difficult time making entry into the fire room," Proia said.

Rome Santosuasso lives next door and said Deare had been battling her second bout with cancer.

"I believe she was a cancer patient and she wasn't doing great with the cancer," Santosuasso said. "I'm saddened by the whole thing...A house is one thing to lose, but the loss of life is the major issue for everybody."

Investigators believe that "fire room" was Deare's bedroom.