A Nottinghamshire fire boss has urged people not to smoke while under the influence of alcohol - after a woman died in a blaze at her house. Anne Shelbourn, 64, died at her home on Waterloo Road, Beeston, in July last year.
Her death has now been ruled as accidental by a coroner. A post-mortem examination revealed that Ms Shelbourn had high levels of alcohol in her system which is likely to have affected her ability to leave her property - despite the smoke alarm sounding.
On July 30 last year, Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service (NFRS) received a call from a neighbour at around 12.50pm reporting thick smoke was coming from Ms Shelbourn's house. Firefighters arrived at the scene within minutes.
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Upon entering the property, crews discovered the living room was heavily smoke-logged, with a small fire on the sofa where they discovered Ms Shelbourn. She was pronounced dead at the scene by East Midlands Ambulance Service.
Fiona Gingell, assistant coroner for Nottinghamshire, found the cause of death to be smoke inhalation caused by an accidental fire on the sofa from discarded smoking materials. Following the inquest this week, NFRS station manager Richard Cooper said: "We would like to again extend our condolences to Anne's family and friends on their loss.
"We would also like to praise the actions of Anne's neighbour who raised the alarm and two contractors nearby who attempted to gain entry to the property before firefighters arrived. This tragic incident is a reminder of the importance of having working smoke alarms in your home and checking them regularly as they can help alert you to smoke or fire.
"If you smoke, consider doing this outside your home - and avoid smoking when you are under the influence of alcohol. Always make sure it is stubbed out when you're finished."
If you or someone you know is not able to assess the fire risks in the home, you can find out about a free Safe and Well visit.
