FIRE chiefs have issued urgent safety advice after an inquest heard an East Lancashire grandmother set herself on fire in a freak accident, which led to her death.

An investigation found that 76-year-old Said Begum appeared to have been warming herself by a gas fire when her scarf set alight, Pennine Coroner's Court was told.

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Her family heard her cry out: "I'm on fire, I'm on fire" before she was found in a hallway of their home in Victoria Gardens, Barrowford, on January 15, and taken to Burnley General Hospital.

Mrs Begum, who was said to be quite frail and had a number of medical difficulties, was transferred to a specialist burns unit at Wythenshawe Hospital in Greater Manchester but died two days later.

Watch manager Malcolm Dewhurst, who was called in later to conduct an inquiry into the pensioner's death, said it was believed that Mrs Begum was wearing traditional Asian dress, a sharlwa kameez, and a dupatta veil, along with her scarf.

The inquest heard he found evidence of burn marks in the lounge, near the gas fire, and similar damage to the carpet in the hallway, which were consistent with the account given by the family.

Mr Dewhurst said: "One of the messages we take out to schools, is that if clothing catches fire then people should stop moving around, drop to the ground and roll around to smother the flames, and we hope this is taken home and shared with older family members."

Mrs Begum's family were said to be too upset to attend the inquest hearing at Burnley, which also heard that Mrs Begum often liked to warm herself in front of the fire, even though her infirmities meant someone else had to turn it on for her.

Recording a conclusion of accidental death, East Lancashire Coroner Richard Taylor said it was 'entirely understandable' how Mrs Begum had reacted, once she realised her clothing had caught fire.

"You have made the observation, in your report, that the Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service advice to members of the public, in these circumstances, is to stop, drop and roll," added Mr Taylor, referencing the findings of Mr Dewhurst's official report into the incident.