81-year-old retd prof dies in room-heater fire at Howrah home
Times of India | 13 January 2026
Howrah: A retired English professor of a Burdwan college died of burn injuries after a room heater sparked a fire in her room on Sunday night in north Howrah. Radharani Shaw (81) lived alone on the ground floor of her ancestral house near Pilkhana crossing on GT Road. The fire started around 8.30 pm on Sunday, police said. The fire department said the blaze destroyed everything in the room, including the fridge, AC, bed and wardrobe. Since the kitchen was a bit further away, the gas cylinder did not explode.
Three fire engines somewhat brought the flames under control after 30 minutes, after which cops, firemen, and North Howrah MLA Goutam Choudhary rescued Shaw and took her to Howrah District Hospital. Doctors there declared her dead.
"The elderly woman was also suffering from various age-related illnesses." An officer said: "Our preliminary probe suggests the fire spread from a room heater that was placed very close to a clothes rack." — Rupak Banerjee