Woman in hospital as forgotten cigarette starts fire

A woman in her late 40s is fighting for her life in hospital after suffering serious burns when she fell asleep smoking a cigarette.

It is the second incident of this type on the northside of Cork City in the past few weeks.

A neighbour who heard the woman’s cries for help in the early hours of Sunday morning rushed into her house and doused her with water.

Gardaí were immediately able to rule out any foul play because the woman was conscious and told them what happened.

“Unfortunately her condition then quickly deteriorated. She had serious burns to her body,” said Supt Con Cadogan.

The woman, who lives alone, was rushed to Cork University Hospital, where she is understood to be in a critical condition.

The only damage to her house at Mary Aikenhead Place between Cathedral Rd and Blarney St was to the chair she was sitting on which had caught fire.

Supt Cadogan said that two weeks before Christmas three gardaí from Gurranabraher Garda Station forced their way into a house in Blarney St to save the life of a man whose home had gone up in flames after a cigarette set his settee on fire.

The fire had taken hold in the living room when Gardaí John O’Connell, Ian Foley and Brian Holland forced their way into the house.

They discovered the 30-year-old occupant asleep in a bedroom and brought him to safety.

The gardaí and the occupant of the house had to be treated for smoke inhalation.

“It just goes to show the dangers associated with smoking, especially late at night when somebody is feeling tired,” Supt Cadogan said.