Official: Woman falls asleep while smoking, dies in fire

Authorities say they believe a woman who fell asleep while smoking died in a fire at a senior housing complex in New Jersey's capital city.

Trenton Fire Director Qareeb Bashir told The Trentonian  that it appears the woman's clothes caught fire after she fell asleep and dropped the cigarette she was smoking after falling out of a wheelchair in a sixth-floor apartment at the Luther Arms building Thursday.

Firefighters put out the blaze with a home fire extinguisher but the woman was already dead in the fire that began around 4:15 p.m.

Fire officials are still investigating whether she died from burns or smoke inhalation.

Nine other residents suffered smoke-related injuries and were treated at the scene.

The victim's identity wasn't immediately released.

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