Woman in 'human fireball' horror

From the Telegraph & Argus, first published Wednesday 29th Jun 2005.

A young woman was in a critical condition with massive burns today after being turned into a "human fireball".

The 26-year-old ran from her home into the street engulfed in flames.

Witnesses described "blood-curdling" screams as they fought to extinguish the flames.

The woman, who has not been named, suffered 80 per cent burns to her body in the incident yesterday in Undercliffe, Bradford.

She was taken to Bradford Royal Infirmary before being transferred by road to a hospital near Liverpool because no suitable bed was available in the specialist burns unit at Pinderfields Hospital at Wakefield.

How the woman's clothing caught fire is not yet known. Police believe the circumstances are not suspicious.

Witnesses described how the Asian woman ran from her house in a ball of flames.

Eleanor Higgins, of Chatham Street, was in her kitchen when she heard the woman screaming.

"It was a blood-curdling scream that was spine-chilling," she said. "I ran outside to see what was happening.

"She was like a human fireball. People were trying to put the flames out, it was terrible."

A man standing at a nearby bus stop saw the horror unfold and tried to smother the flames with his coat.

Bradford Fire Station manager Keith Robinson said: "Another woman helped him to get her back in the house. When they got her inside they managed to cool her down with water which is the best thing anyone can do when someone is on fire.

"A dental nurse from a surgery also came out to offer assistance.

"What those people did was superb. They could have saved the woman's life.

"What they did in a very harrowing situation was very commendable. We just have our fingers crossed now that she pulls through."

Another resident, who did not wish to be named, said she knew the woman by sight and often saw her in the local shop.

"She was very nice and very friendly, she would always say hello," she said.

Detective Inspector Gerry O'Shea, of Bradford North CID, said: "I am satisfied there are no suspicious circumstances involved in this incident.

"I am convinced no third party was involved in the woman attaining her injuries but inquiries are continuing."

Emergency services were called to the house in Otley Road just after 11.15am yesterday.

The woman was taken to Bradford Royal Infirmary, then transferred to Whiston Hospital in Prescot, Merseyside, where her condition was described today by police as "critical."

The woman would normally have been transferred from BRI to the regional specialist burns unit at Pinderfields. The Telegraph & Argus understands she was taken to Merseyside because a high-dependency bed was not available at the time.

Helen Barker, group service manager of Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust which runs Pinderfields, said: "The Trust cannot comment on individual cases due to patient confidentiality but its priority is to ensure the safety of patients at all times.

"To ensure this, if there is a high level of patient dependency on specialised units, clinical decisions will be made to divert patients to the nearest alternative unit, if this is the most appropriate action.

"In this case Trust staff would immediately advise the referring hospital to contact the appropriate bed co-ordination centre who will rapidly ensure the patient receives a safe transfer."

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