Coroner calls for Council action after fire tragedy

At the inquest into the death of Allen Burke, Coroner Roger Whittaker urged the Council to take action to prevent further tragedies.

His words were supported after the hearing by a senior West Yorkshire Fire Service officer.

The inquest heard Mr Burke was overcome by dense, toxic fumes from a cassette player he had left on a hot cooker hob.

Confused and disorientated, he got out of bed and managed to turn off the cooker before collapsing on a sofa.

His body was found by police who forced their way into the property in Darnay Lane, West Bowling, last June.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, Mr Whittaker said he would be writing to the Council about the incident. He felt that if there was a smoke detector fitted in the hall the likelihood was that it would have gone off at an early stage and woken Mr Burke.

"It is an avoidable death, most deaths in fire situations are avoidable," he said. "This death could have been prevented. By fitting smoke alarms, further tragedies will be avoided. Smoke detectors are cheap and effective."

Station Officer Terence Calpin, of Bradford fire station, said a heat detector installed in the kitchen had not gone off because the temperature had not been high enough to trigger it.

Mr Calpin said he later spoke to the Council housing department, who told him it was thought that a heat detector and an emergency call system in the property were sufficient.

After the inquest, David Firth, senior divisional officer for West Yorkshire Fire Service, backed the coroner's plea.

He said: "Fire alarms save lives without a doubt. If Bradford Council fitted smoke alarms in every property it would certainly have a positive effect.

"The more councils that take this on, the more people are not going to die because of fire."

Geraldine Howley, director of housing for Bradford Council, said: "We are currently awaiting the Coroner's remarks and will study these carefully."