A 55-year-old woman died of burns she suffered after a fire broke out in her rented accommodation in Creek Lane, near Sealdah, on Friday afternoon.
Police said Swati Banerjee was alone at home on the second floor of a three-storeyed building. Neighbours and passers-by saw thick fumes and alerted the cops.
The room was locked from inside and the police and firefighters broke it open to rescue Banerjee.
The police said she had suffered severe burns and was taken to the NRS Medical College and Hospital, where she died.
The police started an unnatural death case and sent her body for post-mortem.
“We will speak to her neighbours and find out whether this was an accident or a deliberate fire to commit suicide,” said an officer of Muchipara police station.
“We have not found any note left by the woman but it appears to be a case of suicide,” the officer said.
A preliminary probe by the police revealed that Banerjee and husband Shantanu had been living at the rented accommodation with their only son for some time.
A fire tender doused the flames. Firefighters said it appeared that the fire was cause by leaking LPG.
A forensic test will reveal the exact cause.