Update: Grandmother Dies in Early Monday Morning Fire

An early morning fire killed a 56-year-old grandmother in Takoma Park.

Firefighters were dispatched at about 2:15 a.m. Monday to the 7600 block of Maple Avenue, according to Montgomery County Assistant Fire Chief Scott Graham, where they found Charlotte Wilson badly burned on scene.

The fire on the sixth floor was out when firefighters arrived, Graham said, but they found Wilson being helped by her granddaughter.

Firefighters found a pile of burnt clothing and towels on the scene, Graham said. Wilson was smoking in bed and after she discarded the cigarette, it ignited the clothing, according to fire investigators.

The victim was transported to a Washington Hospital Burn Unit, where she died.

Graham reminds residents that there are fire-safe cigarettes available for smokers, although they aren't fireproof. The cigarette that caused the fire Monday morning was not fire-safe.

A working smoke alarm alerted the granddaughter of the fire.