A WOMAN has died after suffering more than 30 per cent burns in a flat fire in Even Swindon.

Victoria Stockman, 33, was taken to a specialist burns unit at Morriston Hospital, in Swansea, after the fire on Wednesday, May 1. Despite undergoing a series of operations including skin grafts, she lost her fight for life late on Thursday evening.

Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service has confirmed that the fire started accidentally, probably from unattended or discarded smoking materials, although the full fire investigation report will not be made public until the inquest is held into Victoria’s death.

The fire service was called to the incident at 10.20pm after a call from a member of the public.

When they arrived at the terraced house, which had been split into two flats, they found a man hanging out of the top window.

Group manager Ian Jeary said the flats did not have smoke detectors, which could have warned the occupants of the fire at an early stage.

Speaking after the incident, he said: “We found the casualty on the floor in the living room.

“She was unconscious and had suffered burns and smoke inhalation.

“We carried out CPR, supported by the ambulance service, and we were able to restore her pulse and get her breathing.”

Four fire appliances attended the scene, two from Swindon, one from Westlea and one from Stratton, along with two ambulances, a rapid response paramedic and a hazardous area support team.

Dennis Richens, 52, who lives in the flat above the fire, said: “I was lying in bed watching the TV at about 10pm. I smelt something downstairs and thought they had just burnt the dinner.

“The next thing that happened was my girlfriend came back from work and she called me on the phone shouting and smacking on the window outside saying to get out of the flat.

“I went to open the door where the stairs are, but they were just full of black smoke.

“I closed the door and opened the window hanging my head out waiting for the fire brigade. It was very scary.”

A Wiltshire Police spokesman said: “Victoria Stockman died on Thursday from injuries sustained during the fire.

“An inquest will be held in Wiltshire at a date to be fixed.”