Officials say a woman had to be rescued from a house fire in Mount Vernon Monday afternoon.

They say the fire was reported at 3:15 p.m. on East 5th Street.

First responders helped the woman escape the house during the fire. She was taken to a hospital.

Nearby fire departments were called in to assist Mount Vernon's fire department due to the subfreezing temperatures and high winds.

Firefighters had to rotate out every 20 to 30 minutes so they could warm up. Officials say the water used to extinguish the flames almost froze on contact. Icicles also hung from the equipment.

No other injuries were reported.

The city says they put salt and sand on the ground to help with the ice. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Fire officials say this was a good time to remind everybody that they don't need to go without heat in their home, and that they don't need to try to heat their home through alternative means, like using an oven.