A WOMAN set herself on fire after decanting petrol in her York kitchen near a gas cooker.

Peter Hudson, spokesman for North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue, said the woman, named locally as Diane Hill, 46, suffered 40 per cent burns to her whole body in the incident in the Acomb area of the city at about 6pm yesterday.

He said the woman’s daughter had raised the alarm and paramedics and fire fighters were there within minutes.

Neighbour Margot Johnston told The Press Mrs Hill’s two daughters, Lauren, 23, and Grace, 18, were in the garden of the property when tragedy struck at 6pm, while her husband Mark was at work.

Mrs Johnston said: "I saw flames coming from someone and someone running into the garden. I feel so awful because I felt so impotent. What could I do?"

Mrs Johnston said the family had lived at the property for two years and moved there from Stamford Bridge.

Mrs Johnston said: “I’m in absolute shock. I understand, luckily, the fire didn’t affect her face but she suffered severe burns to her body. I cannot believe this has happened. I couldn’t sleep last night. I didn’t see anything this bad during the war.

“I’m 86 and I really feel my age today, I’m just stunned. Those poor daughters of hers.”

The first attending officer on the scene was Lee Smith, station manager for North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue.

He said: “It was tea time, and they were cooking their evening meal.

“The lady was decanting petrol from a Jerry Container into a glass jug.”

Station Manager Smith said the vapours from the petrol were ignited by the gas cooker resulting in the lady dropping the jug and becoming “engulfed in flames”.

He said: “Her clothes were burned off by the flames”, and her daughters had attempted to rip the remaining clothes from her body by the time firefighters ahd arrived, and her husband Mark arrived as paramedics were treating her in the back garden.

Station Manager Smith said it led to significant burns on her upper body, mainly her back and arms.

He said: “I don’t fully understand why she was decanting the petrol.”

The woman was taken to Pinderfields Hospital, Wakefield, with “serious and significant burns”, said Mr Hudson.

He said the woman had been transferring petrol from one container to another in her kitchen.

“She did not think about the fact the gas cooker was on,” he said. “The petrol then went up and she got burnt. Thankfully we were there very quickly.”

Two fire-fighters wearing breathing apparatus used a hose reel jet to extinguish the blaze in the kitchen and removed the remaining petrol.

Mr Hudson is warning other people to take extreme care when handling and storing petrol, saying: “Be aware of the risks associated with incorrect use and storage of fuel.

“In domestic situations fuel containers must not be stored in living accommodation such as kitchens, living rooms and bedrooms or under staircases.

“Any storage place should be well away from living areas and be secured to protect against the possibility of vandalism or arson.”

He added: “Never bring petrol inside your home.

“If you do smell petrol fumes in a garage or out building ventilate the area and make sure nobody smokes or turns electrical switches on or off.

“The slightest spark could cause an explosion."