Derbyshire pensioner caught in cigarette fire

AN elderly woman with breathing problems took oxygen to protect her from smoke when a fire broke out in her home.

The woman is believed to have accidentally started the blaze by dropping a cigarette in the bedroom of her bungalow in Jura Avenue, Ripley.

A fire service spokesman said she had been inhaling oxygen from a portable machine when the fire started due to a medical condition.

He said: "We believe she dropped the cigarette and luckily had moved into the lounge when the fire started.

"She had some form of breathing problem and so had several machines to give her oxygen, including one in the bedroom and a portable one which she had taken with her.

"When we arrived, she was suffering the effects of smoke inhalation but fortunately was wearing an oxygen mask, so wasn't too bad."

The fire, which happened at about 11.45pm on Friday, did not spread from the bedroom into the rest of the bungalow, although the room was badly damaged.