A FORMER nurse and teacher died after a fire started accidentally in her living room which was full of clutter, an inquest has heard.

Helen Heywood, 72, died on January 23 this year at her home in St Leonard’s Road, Girlington, from carbon monoxide poisoning caused by smoke inhalation.

The fire also claimed the lives of her four cats, it was revealed at Bradford Coroner’s Court yesterday.

The court heard how Miss Heywood, who was born in Newcastle and worked as a nurse and a teacher, had never married or had children, and had lived alone in the back-to-back terrace for more than 27 years.

She was described as a hoarder, with her house full of clutter, and had also struggled with alcohol addiction her whole adult life, and also had asthma and suffered from back pain and insomnia in recent years.

The day before the fire, her friend Marilyn Harper had visited Miss Heywood, and agreed to pick up her Tramadol prescription from the doctor to treat her back pain and said she thought her friend had been drinking.

In the early hours on January 23, a neighbour called the fire service after seeing smoke coming from Miss Heywood’s door.

Firefighters found the house filled with smoke and Miss Heywood face down on her living room floor. Paramedics performed CPR but she was pronounced dead at the scene.

A post-mortem put her cause of death down to carbon monoxide poisoning.

Fire investigator Jamie Lister said his investigation found the most likely cause of the fire was a candle under a bookshelf.

He said: “Given the evidence we concluded the likely cause of the fire was a candle under the bookshelf, which set fire to flammable materials.”

There had previously been a fire at Miss Heywood’s home in 2011 from careless candle use, and following that the fire service visited to install smoke alarms.

Mr Lister said the alarm in the entrance hall had been removed, and the one on the first floor was not working.

He said the smoke most likely woke up Miss Heywood from her sleep, and due to the clutter she had been unable to get out and had passed out in the room.

Toxicologist Elizabeth Fox said there was an alcohol level the equivalent of seven measures of spirits in her blood at the time of Miss Heywood’s death, and there was also a fatal level of carbon monoxide in her blood.

It was also noted there was an amount of a sleeping pill used to treat insomnia in her blood, higher than the recommended dose, that when combined with alcohol can cause the user to fall into a deep sleep difficult to wake from.

Assistant coroner Angela Brocklehurst said Miss Heywood’s death was “tragic and devastating”.

She said: “Helen belonged to the caring professions.

“Her life was troubled by ill health, she struggled with alcohol abuse her whole life and was a member of Alcoholics Anonymous for many years

“At one point she achieved sobriety for six years and at the time of her death she had normal liver function, but she battled these demons all her life.”

Ms Brocklehurst recorded a narrative verdict, adding: “Helen died at her home as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning from smoke inhalation caused by igniting flammable materials, and after waking was incapable of saving herself.

“This was a death that should have been avoided.”