Firefighters responded to reports of smoke coming from an apartment at 24955 Cypress Ave. at 7:28 p.m., fire spokesman LaShon Earnest said.
They found smoke coming from the first-floor apartment and immediately attacked the fire while trying to search for anyone who may still be inside.
The one-alarm response had the fire knocked down at 7:39 p.m. but discovered that the 76-year-old woman had died in her back bedroom.
Her husband, also 76, had managed to get out when a neighbor heard smoke alarms and opened the front door to help the man to safety, Earnest said.
But the fire had somehow started in the back bedroom and it was too hot and unsafe for the neighbor or the man to try and help the bedridden woman out of the apartment.
Both the husband and the neighbor were treated for smoke inhalation and released at the scene.
Firefighters are investigating the cause of the fire, Earnest said.
