A WOMAN who died from injuries she received in a fire at a bungalow in Gravesend on Monday has been named as 55-year-old Joan Stringer.

Fire crews were called to The Rise at about 9.50am after reports of a house being alight.

Ambulance crews attended but Mrs Stringer was pronounced dead at the scene. It took three fire crews four hours to tackle the blaze and make the scene safe.

One local resident, Charles Savage, 62, said the tragedy would devastate the local community where people were always friendly to each other.

Another resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said Mrs Stringer seemed perfectly capable around the house. “Joan was a lovely lady,” she stressed. “Sometimes she would call in next door and we would have a cup of tea together.”

She said she first discovered the terrible events unfolding just a few doors down when a distraught neighbour called to alert her.

“I dropped everything and went round. Then I saw the smoke coming out, the fire engines, the police and ambulance,” she said.

Mrs Stringer leaves a husband, George, and a son and daughter. Kent Police and fire chiefs said initial enquiries did not indicate that the blaze was suspicious.