An elderly woman, 78, was killed and her son, 53, suffered poisoning from inhaling smoke in a fire that was caused by a lit cigarette, IPN reports.

The Emergencies Inspectorate said that when the firefighters searched the address, a house in Proscureni village, Riscani, they found a burnt mattress and sheets, indicating there had been smoking in bed.

The public is reminded on this occasion to observe fire safety rules, including to avoid smoking indoors and using malfunctioning or makeshift electrical appliances.

The Inspectorate has recorded 203 fires with 36 casualties across Moldova since the beginning of this year.