EastEnders star Anna Karen died in a house fire which neighbours believe was started by a cigarette.
The actress, who played Aunt Sal in the BBC One soap, was reportedly heard calling for help after the fire broke out in her terraced home.
Emergency services were called to the scene on Windsor Road, Illford, shortly after 10:30pm on Tuesday night.
It took firefighters took less than an hour to get the blaze under control.
A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: ‘Sadly, a woman has died following a house fire on Windsor Road in Ilford.
‘Part of the ground floor of a mid-terrace house was damaged by fire. Sadly a woman was pronounced dead at the scene.’
The spokesperson confirmed that the fire was ‘under investigation’. According to The Sun, neighbours believe that it was started by a cigarette.
‘She was apparently in bed at the time of the fire,’ a source told the publication. ‘It’s thought she fell asleep with a cigarette.’
Kirti Munnasinghe, 42, who was arriving home from work at the time of the blaze, said: ‘I noticed smoke from Anna’s house. As more came out the screams were getting more desperate. It was very frightening.’
Anna’s agent Shane Collins told The Sun: ‘We don’t know if it was an electrical fault or whether it was because she was smoking.’
Metro.co.uk has reached out for comment.
Anna, who also appeared in sitcom On The Buses, was best known to audiences for playing Aunt Sal in EastEnders, the formidable and sharp-tongued sister of Queen Vic landlady Peggy Mitchell.
She made her debut in the role in 1996 and would go on to appear in over 50 episodes, making her final appearance in 2017.
Aunt Sal was known for making appearances at Mitchell family occasions such as weddings, and she always had something witty to say about the people present.
EastEnders paid tribute to Anna, after news of her death. ‘We are deeply saddened to hear that Anna Karen has passed away,’ a spokesperson told Metro.co.uk.
‘Anna created a sharp, quick witted and extremely popular character in Aunt Sal that the audience will never forget, just as those who worked with her at EastEnders will never forget her warmth, kindness fun and good humour.
‘Our love and thoughts are with Anna’s family and friends.’
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