The 69-year-old Bristol woman who was the victim of a Dec. 9 fire in her garage died of “thermal burns and associated severe coronary atherosclerosis.”
A spokesman for the office of the chief medical examiner released Lynn Ring’s cause of death but said the manner of death remains unknown pending the outcome of an ongoing investigation.
The cause of death refers to the physical reason for a person’s death, while the manner refers to how the victim sustained the injuries.
Last week, Dept. of Public Safety spokesman Steve McCausland said, “unusual circumstances” surrounding the fire are causing investigators with the fire marshal’s office to be “deliberate and cautious” in their work.
As of press time, no further information was available regarding the cause of the fire.
The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute defines atherosclerosis as “a disease in which plaque… builds up inside your arteries.” Plaque hardens and narrows arteries with time, limiting the flow of blood to one’s organs and other parts of the body.
Atherosclerosis can lead to serious problems, including heart attack, stroke or death, according to the institute.
The fire, the second in two years at the same address, destroyed the garage and a Mercedes Benz convertible and caused limited damage to the home. John Ring, Lynn Ring’s husband, sustained burns to his hands.
