The reason for a fatal fire at Kirkby in Ashfield was determined as an accident. On the 14th of November, on the Monday the inquiry into the deaths of Paul as well as Jayne Foster came to a conclusion including Gordon Clow, assistant coroner for Nottingham and Nottinghamshire concluding that that the incident was caused by an accidental sparks of candles.
The incident occurred on the 29th of January, 2022. Approximately 7 pm, a person who was walking by phoned emergency services upon noticing the presence of a fire at the Fosters house in Forster Street. On arrival, firefighters were able to spot the extent of the fire, which was spreading throughout the home.
The couple was found by the team in the kitchen. Despite attempts to revive them and then pronounced dead on the spot.
In his concluding statement in his closing statement, Mr. Clow declared: “On 29 January 2022 Mr and Mrs Foster set a candle on fire in their bedroom before closing the door. The candle lit a fabric cover on fire, causing an enormous fire to start in their bedroom, with knowing it, and within only a few minutes.
“Some minutes later, the doorway to the bedroom slid outwards due to the ensuing the super-heated and burning fire. The smoke then spread across the entire property in a matter of seconds, completely destroying the couple Mr as well as Mrs Foster who were inside their kitchen on the opposite end of their modest home.
“This led to their rapid loss of consciousness. Alarm was raised by a person who was passing by and the fire department was on hand.”
He added: “Unfortunately, it was too late to save the lives of Mr. and Mrs Foster who were declared dead at the scene. There was no evidence of suspicious circumstances that led to the fire, as well as no evidence of third-party involvement.
“I’d like to express my gratitude to the brave young man who initiated the 911 call. We should all be grateful for his bravery.”
Mr. Clow found that the medical reason for the death of Paul Foster was that the medical cause of death for Paul Foster was carbon monoxide poisoning as well as smoke inhalation and a second cause was ischaemic cardiac disease. He determined that Mrs Jayne Foster’s cause of death was a smoke inhalation injury which was an additional cause of the ischaemic cardiovascular disease.
Chris Emmott, Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service Group Manager and the Fire Investigation Officer, stated: “This was a tragic incident that tragically resulted in death of two people. I would like to express my gratitude to the crews that responded as well as the Joint Fire Control operators for their swift response.
“We recognize that candles are often used in homes, but I’d like anyone to consider the hazards they could pose. Care must be taken to ensure that they are placed properly placed in the correct holders, and with a solid base.
