Shropshire fire chiefs back campaign after death of Hannah Thomas-Jones
Fire chiefs in Shropshire have backed a national campaign warning of the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning following the death of a 14-year-old girl in a camping tragedy.
The brigade wants to warn of the dangers after an inquest yesterday heard how Hannah Thomas-Jones was killed.
She died after inhaling fumes from a barbecue which had been placed inside a tent.
Hannah and her family, from Wilmslow, Cheshire, had been camping at a site behind the Baron of Beef pub in Bucknell when the tragedy happened last May.
The inquest in Wem was told Hannah was pronounced dead at the scene.
Her stepfather Phil Jones, mother Danielle Jones and her 11-year-old brother, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were also found unconscious inside the tent but were rushed to hospital and survived.
Mid and north-west Shropshire coroner John Ellery passed a verdict of accidental death.
Station officer Shaun Baker, incident commander at the scene of the tragedy, carried out a reconstruction for a joint investigation.
He said: "We found that the carbon monoxide levels were different at various parts of the tent.
"Hannah had been at the back of the tent while her family were facing the front," he added.
Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service is backing The Silent Killer nationwide campaign.
It is led by mum Lynn Griffiths who suffered carbon monoxide poisoning with her family in their new home for 10 years.
Mrs Griffiths, founder of the Carbon Monoxide Awareness charity, said: "We know from contact with surviving victims and bereaved relatives that all too often people receive poor advice, investigation and treatment after their encounter with carbon monoxide."
She added: "Unless we all do something to improve the overall awareness, cases of exposure to this common – and potentially deadly – poison will continue to be poorly recognised, particularly in the initial stages, and the tragedy of avoidable illness and deaths will continue."
