A fire which killed an East Ham mum is believed to have been fuelled by an accelerant, a court has heard.

Shipli Begum, 48, of Newham Way, died on August 28 at Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford, “as a consequence of injuries that were sustained in east London,” said senior coroner Graeme Irvine.

“Police were called to the deceased’s home address a bit after one o’clock (in the afternoon) by Mrs Begum’s daughter,” he said, opening an inquest into her death at East London Coroner’s Court, Walthamstow, on Thursday (September 12).

Mrs Begum had sustained “severe burns”, he said, adding: “It is believed that an accelerant of some type was used to cause the fire.”

Fifteen firefighters were scrambled to the scene from Barking, Stratford and Leytonstone fire stations.

Mrs Begum was taken to Broomfield, a specialist burns treatment hospital, and admitted immediately to intensive care.

But her burns were “far more serious than initially believed”.

“A high proportion of her skin was damaged by burn injuries and the prognosis was very poor,” said Mr Irvine.

Treatment was withdrawn and she died.

“Given the circumstances of the death, I asked for a specialist forensic post mortem to take place, by a Home Office approved forensic pathologist,” said Mr Irvine.

It took place on September 2 and gave Mrs Begum’s cause of death as “burns”.

“Mrs Begum’s death was unarguably an unnatural death,” he said, meaning he must open an inquest.

But he added that there was an ongoing criminal investigation.

“The senior investigating officer in relation to that investigation has been in constant contact with the court,” he said.

“As soon as I hear more information from them, I will make decisions as to whether an inquest hearing can safely take place without the risk of prejudicing any criminal proceeding.”

He adjourned Mrs Begum’s inquest to a “target date” of March 12, 2025, but said criminal proceedings might mean that could not take place.

The Recorder reported last week that a 55-year-old man known to Mrs Begum was arrested at the scene on suspicion of attempted murder, then re-arrested on suspicion of murder after she died.

However, homicide detectives have since handed the case back to local officers.

The man remains on bail while police enquiries continue, a Metropolitan Police spokesperson said, and nobody else is being sought over the incident.