12 Kolkata: An 82-year-old woman died as her sari caught fire from a candle at her home at Sarsuna Township, Sakuntala Park, on Wednesday, eve of Kali Puja. Jyotsna De suffered 30% burns.
Doctors at CMRI Hospital, where De was admitted, said she suffered a massive cardiac arrest almost two-and-a-half hours after the incident. An unnatural death case was registered at the Sarsuna police station and her body was sent for post-mortem.
According to neighbours De had two daughters, who lived abroad, while she was looked after by two caregivers, each staying for 12-hour shifts. "She had asked her morning caregiver to leave after lighting 14 candles for choddo pidim. She said she could manage on her own for an hour till the other caregiver arrived. Meanwhile, she noticed one of the candles was not lit and as she tried to light it again, her sari caught fire from another candle," said a neighbour. Though severely burnt, De dragged herself to the bathroom, splashed water on herself and called her caregiver and brother. Her neighbours took her to hospital.
"De was taken to Narayana Hospital in Behala. As there is no burn ward, she was taken to CMRI. During her treatment, she died on Wednesday night," said Rahul De, DCP (Behala).