An 80-year-old woman is believed to have been set on fire outside her home by a suspect using a flammable accelerant, police have said.
Officers were called at about 12:45 GMT on Monday to reports the victim was found in a first-floor communal area in Caractacus Cottage View in Watford.
Detectives have since named her as Brenda Raymond, who is in hospital with life-threatening injuries and remains in a critical condition.
“An accelerant may have been used before she was deliberately set on fire,” said Hertfordshire Police, which is treating the incident as an attempted murder.
Evidence from the scene indicated that a flammable liquid may have also been poured through the letterbox of another property, the force added.
Tim Bromwich, who lives in a flat below the victim, said he had known her for 30 years and used to work with her, until she retired five years ago.
He said “it’s just horrific”, calling her a “real talker and a lovely, lovely woman”.
He said he took his car out for an MOT at about 08:30. When he returned about 13:00, within 15 minutes a large number of emergency crews had arrived.