A 70-year-old woman died of burns and a 40-year-old artisan was seriously injured after a fire broke out in a house in Kalighat’s Patuapara early on Thursday.

Residents of the area saw thick fumes coming out of the double-storey house on Kalighat Road around 4.40am and alerted the fire station.

Four fire engines managed to douse the flames in little over an hour.

By the time fire officers could rescue residents, Biva Pal, a widow, had suffered severe burns and was gasping for breath. She was sleeping in her first-floor room and was not aware of the fire.

Two of her relatives managed to bring her out with the help of fire fighters.

She was declared dead at SSKM Hospital.

Rajib Pal, the artisan, is being treated at the critical care unit for burn patients.

Fire officers said they were still to ascertain the exact cause of the fire though they suspect it was caused by a leaking LPG cylinder.

A forensic team will visit the house on Friday.

Patuapara in Kalighat is dotted with makeshift studios where artisans make idols. Pal had been working on Kali idols till late on Wednesday and had returned home past midnight, the police said. The fire has destroyed two of his unfinished Kali idols.