Hong Kong woman, 63, dies of burns after pyjamas catch fire on gas stove

A 63-year-old Hong Kong woman died on Monday after her gas stove set fire to her pyjamas and caused severe burns.

The woman ran out of her public housing flat with her clothing ablaze to seek help from her neighbours.

“The woman [with difficulty in walking] was shouting for help when she walked out of the flat, alerting her neighbours,” a source familiar with the case said.

He added the clothing on the woman’s upper body was on fire, but extinguished outside her flat before emergency services arrived.

The woman suffered serious burns to her back and was pronounced dead at the scene, the source said.

He added preliminary investigations suggested the woman’s pyjamas caught fire when she turned on a gas stove to cook. She was alone at the time.