text: An 84-year-old man has died in hospital from severe burns to his upper body - nearly a month after he accidentally set himself on fire with a cigarette while driving along a suburban New York road. Christopher Flowers was traveling down  Chili Avenue, near Route 390, in Rochester on March 9 when he dropped a lit cigarette into his shirt, causing several layers of clothing to burst into flames. He immediately pulled over and tried to extract the burning cigarette from his top. But the windy conditions at the time seemingly fanned the flames so much that they engulfed his entire torso. As the flames surrounded the pensioner's head, three Good Samaritans  pulled over and frantically tried to extinguish the blaze - at first, using their hands, then by hurling the man into a snow bank. Burned alive: Christopher Flowers, 84, has died in hospital nearly a month after he accidentally set himself on fire with a cigarette while driving along a suburban New York road. Above, the interior of Flowers's vehicle . Flammable: Flowers was driving down Chili Avenue near Route 390 in Rochester on March 9 when he dropped a lit cigarette into his shirt, causing several layers of his clothing (pictured at the time) to burst into flames . Hospital: Flowers, of Chili, was rushed to Strong Memorial Hospital (pictured), where he was listed in guarded condition with severe burns to his torso and neck. But on Sunday, hospital officals announced he has died . Emergency crews arrived at the scene and Flowers, from Chili, was rushed to Strong Memorial Hospital, where he was listed in guarded condition with severe burns to his torso and neck. But on Sunday, hospital officials told The Democrat and Chronicle that the retired marine had passed away. Additional details of Flowers's death, including the date, have not been released. Last month, Flowers's wife of over 56 years, Flora, spoke of her wish for him to regain his health, saying: 'He has bandages all over him. Just covered up with bandages and you can't touch him.' Speaking to WHEC, she added: 'It was terrifying. We're hoping and praying that he'll get better.' Flowers was wearing several layers of clothing at the time of the incident, including two or three flannel shirts and a couple of T-Shirts topped by a hooded sweatshirt, witnesses told reporters. Widow: Last month, Flowers's wife of over 56 years, Flora (pictured before her husband's death), spoke of her wish for Flowers- who was rushed to hospital with severe burns to his upper body - to regain his health . Retired marine: Mrs Flowers holds a photo of her husband during his time as a marine, many decades ago . Some of his attire was made out of polyester, which is highly flammable. As the flames spread across his clothing and body shortly before 9am on March 9, one man and two women pulled over to help. Mike Peters was heading to his job driving veterans to and from outpatient services when he saw Flowers standing at the side of the road, engulfed in flames 'from his waist to above his head'. Speaking to the Associated Press last month, Peters told of how he immediately stopped and ran past a woman making futile attempts to pat out the fire, before tackling Flowers into a snow bank. 'I scooped the guy up and did an end-zone dive into the snowbank,' the 52-year-old former Army helicopter mechanic, from Gates, said. He then used handfuls of dirty snow to douse the flames. Good Samaritan: Mike Peters (left), who pulled over after spotting Flowers standing at the side of the road engulfed in flames - tackled the pensioner into this snow bank (right) in a bid to extinguish the deadly flames . Scene: Gates's Fire Chief, James Harrington, said an ember from Flowers's cigarette likely fell on to his shirt while he was driving along Chili Avenue (pictured) shortly before 9am on March 9, causing him to burn alive . The three rescuers removed Flowers's smoldering clothing and wrapped him in a blanket that one of the women, named as Deborah Zielinski of Henrietta and Kathy Baleno of Gates, had in her trunk. 'I've just never seen anything like it,' Peters concluded. 'It was like newspapers catching on fire.' Flowers was subsequently transported to hospital, where he never recovered. At the time, Gates's Fire Chief, James Harrington, said an ember from Flowers's cigarette likely fell on to his shirt. The flammable nature of the pensioner's clothing will have only strengthened the flames, he added.
target: Christopher Flowers, 84, was driving on Rochester, NY, street on March 9 .
  Dropped lit cigarette, causing several layers of clothes to burst into flames .
  Three drivers stopped to help as fire engulfed pensioner's torso and head .
  One tried to put out flames with hands; another threw him into snow bank .
  Flowers, from Chili, rushed to Strong Memorial Hospital with severe burns .
  On Sunday, hospitals officials announced retired marine has passed away .