A 50-YEAR-OLD woman has been found guilty of manslaughter after starting a tower block fire which killed two women.

Sandra Clarke, of Marine Tower, Deptford, started the blaze in her flat on February 4 last year.

The flames spread through the tower block, and claimed the lives of two women in a neighbouring flat.

Kunaliny Alagaratnam, 42, lived in the flat with her husband and two young children. Her family were out but Mrs Alagaratnam and her cousin Santhirapathy Tharmalingham, 59, were overcome by smoke and were later found dead.

Clarke, who was due for a county court hearing over her rent arrears, had bought two cans of lighter fuel from a local shop earlier that day.

Prosecutor Timothy Cray said: "She had real problems with her flat, the way she was living, and she had a hostile attitude to the housing association, accusing them of having spies in the building and the like.

"The very day the fire started, there was going to be a county court hearing as part of the council getting her rent or possession of the flat, everything coming on top.

"This defendant had motivation to hate the way that she was living and in her mind to see this flat and the council as a source of her problems."

Clarke was found guilty of two counts of manslaughter by a Woolwich Crown Court jury today (May 1).

She will be sentenced on June 1.

Detective Chief Inspector Amanda Hargreaves from Homicide and Serious Crime Command said: "Sandra Clarke's actions in February 2011 resulted in two women losing their lives.

"Clarke acted recklessly and showed no regards to the safety of everybody inside Marine Tower.

"Four people who became trapped inside their properties had to be rescued by the Fire Brigade and countless others were frightened and unsure if their homes and property would be irreplaceably damaged.

"I am pleased that Clarke has been convicted today and I hope that she will spend the considerable time she will serve in prison reflecting on how her actions ruined the lives of two families."