A mum-of-three who ran screaming from her home covered in flames has died from her burns in hospital.
Shipli Begum, 48, caught on fire after her home in East Ham, London went up in flames at around 1pm on Wednesday, August 28.
Ms Begum ran into the street screaming for help before succumbing to her wounds, while her husband tried in vain to extinguish the flames, burning his hands in the process.
Next-door neighbour Imran Syed, 46 told MyLondon he was about to eat lunch when he saw smoke and heard screaming, and rushed over to investigate.
Upon arrival, he saw Ms Begum’s body covered in burns while her husband Mohammed poured water over her.
‘She was completely burned, she was not moving or anything,’ he told the publication, and said he took the couple’s children outside and waited for firefighters to arrive, which they did around one minute later.
Another neighbour said he heard Ms Begum’s husband shouting his wife’s name before trying to cover her with a fire blanket. After catching fire, she reportedly ran outside in order to stop the rest of the house catching alight, before heading back inside after getting wrapped up the blanket.
‘Her clothes got burned off,’ said Mohammed Ali, 17. ‘It was very traumatising… The first couple of days was very traumatising.’
The circumstances behind the fire are still unknown, although a 55-year-old known to the deceased was arrested at the scene and remains on bail while police continue their enquiries.
Neighbours described Ms Begum was a ‘very nice lady’ who was a ‘good person’, and said the family had recently moved to the area from Birmingham.
Three fire engines and 15 firefighters attended the scene, along with police and medics. An inquest into Mrs Begum’s death will be opened at East London Coroner’s Court on Thursday, September 12.
A Met Police spokesperson said: ‘The investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of a woman in Newham continues. Police were called to an address on Newham Way, E6 at 13:05hrs on Wednesday, August 28.
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‘Officers attended alongside the London Ambulance Service and London Fire Brigade and found a 48-year-old woman with significant burn injuries. She was taken to hospital where she sadly died later the same day. Her family are aware and are being supported by specially trained officers.
‘The investigation is being led by the North East Command Unit, with initial support from Specialist Crime. A 55-year-old man – who was known to the deceased – who was arrested at the scene in connection with the death remains on police bail while officers complete their enquiries. No one else is sought and the Coroner has been informed.’
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