An elderly woman has died after suffering serious burns in a structure fire in Cotati on Friday night, authorities said.
Rancho Adobe firefighters around 10 p.m. responded to a senior living facility at 42 Charles St., according to authorities.
Firefighters discovered an 80-year-old woman sitting on the front-room couch. A sprinkler had activated, extinguishing some of the blaze but the woman suffered severe burns to her torso and face, authorities said.
The victim was transported to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital in critical condition, the Sonoma County Fire and Emergency Services Department said, adding that the fire was extinguished around 10:30 p.m.
The woman was later airlifted to the burn unit at Sacramento-based UC Davis Medical Center where she died Saturday morning, authorities said.
A neighbor told NBC Bay Area that the woman smoked even though the housing complex is a no-smoking property. Confirming that the woman smoked, a fire official said the cause of the fire is being investigated.
No other injuries were reported and the woman's apartment was not majorly damaged, fire officials said.
