A ‘fun-loving’ dad passed away after his cigarette ignited his bed, causing a fatal fire in his flat shortly after hospital discharge.
Wayne died the day he left the hospital. He fell asleep while smoking and this happened in Burnley. An inquest occurred at Preston Coroner’s Court because Wayne fell before his hospital visit.
Wayne, 60, went to the hospital on May 26, 2024, after falling out of bed while intoxicated. The inquest revealed his health issues: he had heart attacks and liver damage. Smoking caused irreversible lung damage.
Doctors discharged him on June 2, seeing “no reason” to keep him there. Delays occurred over the prior two days.
Wayne’s daughter, Terri, voiced worries, questioning his discharge suitability. Richard Taylor read her statement since family wasn’t at the inquest.
Terri said her father was a functional alcoholic and had COPD alongside liver damage. He had also suffered heart attacks while taking much medication. His alcoholism complicated his health, with poor mental health also being a factor.
He left the hospital around 9 am. An hour later, a team visited him to assess his flat in Briercliffe. A therapist noticed cigarette smoke; he was rolling cigarettes in bed.
They arranged a care team visit later that day and found no concerns with his support. A fire erupted in his flat around 12:30 pm, prompting a person to call emergency services.
Jim Stone, a fire safety manager for the fire rescue service, arrived to find someone had already put out the fire. Someone broke a window to help Wayne because smoke blocked their entry.
Locals used shop-bought water to dampen the flames before firefighters arrived. The fire stayed mainly in the bed, not spreading further.
Regulated cigarettes have safety measures called “speed bumps,” preventing fires if left alone. This isn’t true for counterfeit or roll-up cigarettes.
Two lighters were in Wayne’s bedding remnants, confirming he was smoking when he died. The inquest confirmed this detail.
Terri remembered his fun-loving nature, wanting people to remember him as a loving father and grandfather. He always made people laugh.
Richard Taylor concluded the inquest by stating Wayne left the hospital with care plans and wanted to go home. Nothing required keeping him at the hospital.
Coroner Taylor mentioned him rolling cigarettes and receiving advice about this habit. He likely fell asleep while smoking.
A person acted very quickly during the fire, leading Coroner Taylor to commend their actions. Wayne’s death was ruled accidental, resulting from a lit cigarette at home.