A Takoma Park woman died after a fire in her apartment early Monday morning.
Montgomery County Fire and Rescue units responded to the sixth floor apartment of the Park Ritchie Highrise at 7600 Maple Ave. in Takoma Park just after 2 a.m.
They arrived to find an extinguished pile of clothing and towels. Charlotte Wilson, 56, who lived in the apartment, suffered severe burns when flames spread among clothes on the floor.
A smoke detector woke her 18-year-old granddaughter, who rushed to help her grandmother and who placed the 911 call.
After an initial investigation, officials believe the fire was started by a lit cigarette.
Wilson was treated on the scene for significant burns, and transported to an area hospital, where she later died.
