A grandmother died after collapsing onto the hob of an oven while she cooked pasta at her home in Chelmsford, an inquest heard.
Italian expat Valeria Bohannan, 81, ran out of her house in Skerry Rise, Broomfield, with her fleece and nightdress engulfed in flames on May 25 last year.
Despite the best efforts of neighbours, who doused her with buckets of water, she suffered 70 per cent burns and died at Broomfield Hospital's burns unit on May 30.
At Essex Coroner's Court yesterday (August 19), assistant deputy coroner Eleanor McGann said: "What an incredibly tragic accident for quite an elderly lady who nevertheless was leading an independent life."
The court heard Mrs Bohannan collapsed onto the hob after feeling dizzy. She managed to rip off her fleece but not her nylon night dress.
She was able to explain to fire officers what had happened before being admitted to hospital. The coroner's office said the inquest hearing was severely delayed while awaiting a fire accident and emergency report.
Mrs Bohannan, described by neighbours last year as a "brilliant" and "lovely" woman, leaves behind family including daughter Fiona Grant.
