A woman who police believe blew up a block of flats "did not get along with her neighbour", according to a resident.
Reena James allegedly doused her neighbour's flat with fuel and then set fire to it, causing the explosion at the Redwood Grove complex in Bedford, detectives believe.
The 42-year-old was the only person to die in the blaze, with neighbours jumping out of windows to escape the burning building.
Karina Caetano, 25, desperately tried to save Reena's life by rushing into her flat - unaware that she had gone upstairs to start the fire.
She told The Mirror: "She and her upstairs neighbour didn't get along, that was common knowledge between residents.
"I broke into her flat for her. I though she died because I wasn't capable of saving her.
"Then later I found out she had caused it. I risked my life for someone who put my life in danger."
Police previously said they believed James had forced her way into the flat and set fire to it.
This caused a blast which killed James and destroyed much of the complex, detectives said.
Ms Caetano said she was retraumatised when she discovered that thieves had entered the ruins of the block and stolen priceless family jewellery from her flat.
She said: "Police went onto the site in hazmat suits in August to recover stuff.
"They came out with my jewellery box. When I saw it coming out my immediate reaction was to cry (with joy).
"But when I opened it and saw it was almost empty it felt like someone slapped me across my face.
"It made me sad because these are items that I'll never be able to recover.
"These items were passed down through generations and now they've been stolen.
"It made me feel sick. It was like I was going through another trauma again.
"It blows my minds that people can steal something from someone who has just gone through a traumatic event."
Ms Caetano was particularly heartbroken about the loss of her sapphire and white crystal bracelet.
She said: "It's the one I want to recover the most. I loved it with all my heart.
"I only wore it inside the house because I didn't want to risk losing it."
Thieves also snatched her sapphire and diamond rings, which had been passed down from her grandmother, and other pieces of jewellery.
The police also returned a watch box to Ms Caetano and her husband. However, the six watches inside had all been taken.
A superintendent sent the officers back inside the property to make sure they had not dropped the items. But they couldn't find them, Ms Caetano said.
The heartbroken resident now blames police for failing to protect her property while guarding the site.
She added: "I was so angry. The police failed to keep my items safe. They were at the scene for three months, 24/7."
Chief Superintendent John Murphy, of Bedfordshire Police, said: “This was a large and incredibly complex scene and our officers worked hard over a number of weeks to protect the scene, in order to ensure it was safe for others leaving and entering the building and to preserve any forensic evidence.
“Unfortunately, at some point it is believed that someone managed to steal a number of items from one of the flats in question.
“While we believe this was an isolated incident, it is an unacceptable one, and as soon as we were made aware of the crime having taken place, we launched an investigation.
“Numerous individuals had access to the site for various reasons during this period which will be just one of a number of lines of enquiry we follow as part of this investigation.”
Workers from a construction firm retrieved further items from Ms Caetano's flat before the property was almost completely demolished.
It was at this point that the resident discovered thieves had also stolen some of her and her husband's designer clothes and work tools.
Ms Caetano said residents have also yet to receive any of the money raised online in the aftermath of the blast.
More than £8,000 was donated to the JustGiving page, which was set up for the survivors.
It comes after detectives told a community meeting they believed James started the fire deliberately in her neighbour’s flat, and was killed in the attempt.
Chief Supt Murphy previously said: "We have been determined to find the cause of the explosion.
“Whilst there remains some laboratory testing to be completed, the very clear indication from everything we have discovered is that it was a deliberate criminal act of arson, targeted at a specific flat.
"Our investigation has found entry was likely to have been forced into that flat, after which several areas were doused in a flammable liquid.
“The vapour from this accelerant became so great that, when it was ignited, it caused an explosion followed by the fire which took hold of the building.
"Forensic evidence, coupled with other enquiries, leads us to believe that Reena James, who was a resident elsewhere in the block, was solely responsible.”
Bedfordshire Police confirmed officers were not looking for anyone else in connection with the crime.
Anyone with information about the theft of Ms Caetano's items can contact police on 101 - or via the force's website here - quoting reference 40/50469/22.
