A mother-of-one who suffered severe burns in a freak blaze at her Telford home died accidentally, an inquest has decided.Telford & Wrekin Coroner Michael Gwynne called the death of Samaira Arif “a tragedy” and ruled out any possibility of unlawful killing, saying allegations of foul play made in a written statement by her father, Ikran Ul-Haq, “should never have been made”.
Mrs Arif, of Ripley Close, Leegomery, suffered 75 per cent burns when her clothes caught fire as she used a gas cooker on November 9, 2006.
Senior fire officer John Dasgupta told the inquest his investigation found traces of turpentine substitute in her dress.
He said Mrs Arif had been using the spirit to clean patio windows shortly before she went to the cooker to prepare a drink for her daughter.
He added her clothes probably went up in flames as she leaned across the lit hob to reach a baby milk canister.
She died on December 20, 2006, at Birmingham’s Selly Oak Hospital.
Recording a verdict of accidental death, Mr Gwynne said: “The message should go out to Samaira’s family in Pakistan that I’m satisfied her death was of an accidental nature.”
Speaking after the hearing, the Arif family welcomed the verdict and praised the authorities for their sensitive handling of the inquest and investigation.
Share this article:
What are these?