Sylvia Townsend, a 94-year-old widow, has died after a fire broke out at her home in Hardwicke, near Gloucester, in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Emergency services were called to the property at around 4am after flames and thick smoke were seen coming from the bungalow.
Firefighters searching the building found Mrs Townsend unconscious and carried her outside on a fire blanket.
Ambulance crews then attempted to revive her with CPR, but she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Neighbours Witness Desperate Rescue Attempt
Residents were alerted by the emergency response, with one neighbour saying his dog woke him shortly before he noticed fire engines outside the property.
The neighbour said firefighters had already begun dealing with the blaze when he saw flames coming through the front windows.
He described seeing several firefighters carry Mrs Townsend from the bungalow before beginning CPR. Despite their prolonged efforts, she could not be saved.
The neighbour also said he brought a camping chair for Mrs Townsend’s daughter while they waited for an ambulance.
The woman was reportedly in shock and was later taken to hospital.
Daughter Had Been Living With Her Mother
Mrs Townsend is believed to have shared the bungalow with her 63-year-old daughter, Laura, who is understood to have escaped the fire.
Neighbours said Mrs Townsend had become increasingly frail and had been receiving care at home several times a day.
They also said she had recently suffered a stroke and had largely been confined to the property.
One resident described the elderly woman as a kind and familiar figure who had lived on the street for many years.
She had been widowed after her husband, Alf, died in 2024.
The couple had been married since 1981.
Family Left Too Shocked to Comment
Mrs Townsend’s family have been left devastated by her death.
Her son, Jeremy Ramstedt, 64, said it was too soon for the family to discuss what had happened.
“It’s far too early to say anything,” he said, adding that everything remained “up in the air” following the tragedy.
Mr Townsend had also had a daughter from a previous relationship, while Sylvia was mother to Jeremy.
Church Community Pays Tribute
Mrs Townsend was a member of the congregation at St James Church in Quedgeley, where she was remembered as a longstanding member of the local church community.
Reverend Ian Robb said she had remained in contact with friends from the congregation despite being unable to attend services because of illness.
He described Sylvia as a regular worshipper and a well-known member of the church, saying the congregation was deeply saddened by the news.
He added that the church did not yet know the circumstances surrounding her death but that its thoughts and prayers were with her family.
Police Make Murder and Arson Arrest
Gloucestershire Police initially arrested a woman in her 60s from Gloucester on suspicion of murder and arson with intent to endanger life.
However, the force later confirmed that the woman had been released on police bail while further enquiries into the circumstances of the death continue.
Police officers have completed their examination and searches of the property, while the cordon around the bungalow has now been removed.
The home remains boarded up as investigations into the fatal fire continue.
