Pensioner killed in electric blanket blaze.
Byline: Alison DayaniAN OLD woman died in a Birmingham house blaze after her electric blanket caught fire on the hottest day of the year.
A Meals on Wheels helper alerted fire and ambulance crews to smoke billowing from the home in Woodthorpe Road, Kings Heath, shortly before 12.30pm yesterday.
Firefighters broke down the door and made the grim discovery in the downstairs bedroom.
The pensioner was dead by the time they arrived./ The electric banket was switched on and the bottom half of the bed badly burned.
Andrew Young, senior West Midlands Fire Service officer, said it was believed an electric blanket had caused the fire, smokelogging the room and leading to the tragedy.
He added that the pensioner had an old electric blanket that needed replacing and no smoke alarms in the house.
"The Meals on Wheels delivery person had gone round and seen smoke, so firefighters turned up and forced their way in," said Mr Young.
"It is thought the fire had been smouldering for a while and the fire could have started in the morning even though it was not discovered until after midday.
"This is an important reminder of how smoke alarms can save lives and electric blankets need to be changed regularly."
Police are investigating the fatal fire, but it is not being treated as suspicious.
Results of an inquiry are set to be passed on to Birmingham coroner's office.
Suzie Fothergill, West Midlands Ambulance Service spokeswoman, said: "On arrival at the scene, crews found a woman in a bedroom of the property.
"The room was smoke filled after it is believed that an electric blanket and a bed had caught fire."
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| Publication: | Birmingham Mail (England) |
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| Date: | Jun 28, 2010 |
| Words: | 279 |
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