File photo of emergency room sign. Red Emergency Sign at Hospital
Steven G. De Polo / Getty ImageAn 80-year-old Berkeley woman, burned when her bathrobe caught fire — likely from an electric hot plate, died in a San Francisco hospital, authorities said Wednesday.
The woman, identified as Hayot Anebi, died at St. Francis Memorial Hospital, where she had been taken for treatment of critical burns at the hospital’s burn center. Berkeley fire officials learned of the death Tuesday. The news of the fire and her death was first reported by Berkeley Scanner , which covers crime and safety news in Berkeley.
The San Francisco Medical Examiner’s office identified her on Wednesday but had no further information on her death.
Keith May, Berkeley’s interim deputy fire chief, said the department received a 911 call on Jan. 11 reporting a smoke alarm sounding in a four-story apartment complex at 2500 San Pablo Ave. While firefighters were on the way, other callers reported that a woman was on fire.
Arriving firefighters found the woman in the hallway with other residents pouring water on her. She was transported to St. Francis Hospital’s burn center.
No damage was discovered inside the woman’s apartment, May said, but an electric hot plate, which was plugged in, was found on the floor in the middle of the room. Investigators found no other possible ignition sources, he said, and believe that the woman’s clothing caught fire.
Michael Cabanatuan (he/him) is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mcabanatuan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ctuan
