9:38am Friday 19th June 2009
By Alexandra Barham
AN ELDERLY woman died in a flat fire in St Albans last night after it is believed she fell asleep with a lit cigarette in her hand.
The pensioner, believed to be in her seventies and immobile, was dragged from her warden assisted flat in St Augusta Court in Batchwood View as flames began to engulf her lounge.
Four fire crews from Wheathampstead, Harpenden, St Albans and Cheshunt dashed to the scene at around 7.35pm and evacuated 16 other tenants while trying to contain the fire.
A St Albans firefighter, who did not want to be named, said the woman, who had a number of mobility issues and lived alone, was showing signs of life as she was rescued by two St Albans firefighters, but sadly died at the scene shortly after.
He said she was in the lounge when the fire started beside her.
Her battery assisted fire alarm had sounded, but for reasons that are not yet clear she failed to escape the blaze as it took hold.
Firefighters were alerted to the blaze by neighbours.
A fire investigation is now underway to establish its exact cause.
Firefighters were at the scene for around an hour using hose reels to douse the flames. The flat was badly smoke damaged.
Keep checking the Review website for further updates to this story.
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