Firefighters say the death of a 79-year-old Whanganui woman on Thursday could have been prevented with a working smoke alarm.
The woman was able to call 111, and was rescued by firefighters and revived at the scene before being rushed to hospital in a critical condition.
She died later that day from her injuries.
The blaze is believed to have been caused by an electric blanket in her room.
A smoke alarm was installed in her home, however it didn't have a working battery.
The Fire Service says if her smoke alarm had been functioning, it would have given her more warning and more time to escape
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