HOUSTON -- A woman died in a southeast Houston condominium fire Monday, KPRC Local 2 reported.

Firefighters were called to the unit at the Glenbrook Valley Townhomes on Leonora near Glenview shortly after 4 a.m.

A wife and her husband were at home when the fire broke out in the back of a downstairs unit.

The man told investigators that he was cooking in the kitchen before he fell asleep upstairs and woke to the smoke detector's alarm. He was able to jump out a second-story window to escape the flames.

Firefighters found the woman's body inside the condo.

"He did what he could do to try to save him and her. Unfortunately it didn't happen like that," said Elliot Dirden, the victim's brother.

Family members identified the victim as 48-year-old Valerie Ross -- a mother with two grown daughters. She was described as a nurse with a heart of gold.

"(The husband and wife) were best friends and have been together a long time," said Dirden. "She always was into giving and doing, a family-oriented woman. Right now, my emotions are running high because she's my oldest sister and I love her dearly."

Dirden said his brother-in-law told him that he left some food cooking on the stove.

Firefighters said a firewall stopped the flames from spreading. However, a neighboring unit had some damage, including broken glass, the stench of smoke and soaked floors.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.