Telford woman's fire death ruled as accidental
The death of a woman in a house fire in Telford was accidental, a coroner ruled today.
Jennifer Ann Rowe, 47, was in cardiac arrest when she was rescued from her home in Brecknock Court, Leegomery, shortly on New Year's Day, an inquest in Telford heard.
The mother died of smoke inhalation the next day at the University Hospital of South Manchester.
Firefighters told today's hearing in Wellington they believed the blaze was caused by a cigarette catching fire to bedding.
A post mortem revealed Mrs Rowe had been dependent on alcohol for a number of years and had a high level of alcohol in her blood when she died.
Empty lager cans and packets of replica cigarettes thought to be of Russian or Eastern European origin were found in her bedroom.
The fire started at around 10.30pm on January 1. The inquest heard Mrs Rowe could have found escaping the room difficult due to the effects of alcohol or carbon monoxide poisoning from the fire.
A statement from Mrs Rowe's son Jordan said he had spoken to his mother at 8.45pm on the evening of her death and it was clear from the call she had been drinking alcohol.
Coroner for Telford & Wrekin and Shropshire John Ellery said: "I accept the cause of death of inhalation of fire fumes and I accept there are no suspicious circumstances or third party involved.
"There is no suggestion Mrs Rowe did this on purpose. It was an accident and I can therefore record a verdict of accidental death."
