Man who died in fire at Scunthorpe flat disconnected smoke alarm
A man who died in a chip pan fire had disconnected the smoke alarm hours before the blaze.
Father-of-three David Storer, 55, was found dead at his flat on Cottage Beck Road in Scunthorpe after a fire at the property.
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Conclusion: David Storer’s wife Gail and son Luke
At an inquest in August, coroner Paul Kelly ordered police to reopen the inquiry after being told the smoke alarm in the property on Cottage Beck Road was not properly connected.
The coroner said at the first inquest that if a smoke alarm was fitted, it should have been checked by the owner.
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A second inquest has now revealed that the smoke alarm did not alert Mr Storer to the blaze because he had disconnected it.
The inquest heard that Mr Storer's friend Deborah Jackson came forward after reading the Scunthorpe Telegraph report on the first inquest.
She said: "I had known David for 13 years and prior to his death I would go round to his property quite often.
"I did notice that he would move one end of the battery in his smoke alarm when cooking in order to make it not go off all the time.
"I saw this happen quite regularly.
"The smoke alarm was very loud so he often moved the battery."
PC Daniel Brown, of Humberside Police, who has been involved in the investigation from the beginning, said: "I have spoken to the landlord and he said he bought the property 20 years ago.
"He said he had recently renovated the property and would always fix anything if asked.
"After the incident, he has been round to his properties and put some new alarms in."
The coroner said: "The fire was due to a chip pan fire which would have ordinarily activated the smoke alarm.
"However, it was not activated during this time due to the battery being incorrectly fitted.
"Two witnesses have since emerged indicating that Mr Storer was the author of the smoke alarm not working correctly.
"Deborah Jackson, who was a regular visitor to Mr Storer's property, had seen him disable the battery because his alarm would go off frequently.
"He never fully removed the battery but would just move one end of it so a proper connection was not created.
"The chip pan fire took his life before he had chance to properly connect the battery.
"If the alarm had have been working correctly, then these unhappy circumstances may not have happened."
The coroner recorded Mr Storer's death as a result of an accident.
David's wife Gail said: "I am happy with the decision. They have come to the right conclusion."
Speaking after the inquest, daughter Tracey Eayres, 31, said: "I am pleased the inquest has now come to a conclusion, but I still have plenty of questions unanswered."
Mr Storer's daughter Claire Storer, 33, said: "I miss him every day because we had a close relationship."
Comments
by IT_MAN
Saturday, October 13 2012, 12:25AM
“Did you not see recent health news that frozen chips that have been part fried then frozen had some effect when reheated could cause cancer, if it is true I would expect it would apply to frozen roast potatoes, frozen yorkshire puds etc. I don't know what there is left that is safe to eat.”
by Mozart
Friday, October 12 2012, 9:17PM
“Best solution is to do what my wife does - oven chips. No fat, no mess, no risk and healthier for the waistline.”
by IT_MAN
Friday, October 12 2012, 8:22PM
“A very sad time for his family, years ago we had a smoke alarm in kitchen with a delay button so that when cooking if it went off it was deactivated for about 15 minutes then reset itself, never seen another like it, they are a problem when cooking. I bought our first electric deep fryer around 35 years ago as wife was not safe with the chip pan, I have bought several with filter lids wind up baskets and all hard to keep clean. The best are the oblong type with lift off lid like we used in catering trade but one was left on by mistake overnight and destroyed a restaurant when it's thermostat failed. Some also have a thermistor fitted in the circuit under the contaner of oil, if thermostat allows it to get to hot the thermister blows cutting off power, this should be compulsary and should be made easy to replace when it blows.
Aldi did similar types very cheap so I don't see a reason for public money being used to give them away unless every tax payer gets one free which would end up cutting other services. Insurer should make policy invalid where old chip pans are used and the sale of them should be banned.”
by Sister_Wendy_
Friday, October 12 2012, 4:02PM
“Perhaps the Telegraph and our MPs could do something useful for once and operate a system where people can trade in their old chip pans for a basic deep fat fryer? It's a better investment than free parking!
There was a system for dodgy electric blankets a few years ago but I don't remember who ran it.”
by cocostorer
Friday, October 12 2012, 11:52AM
“thankyou for your comment dellboy 1959 we miss my dad evey day and if i could turn back time i would of bought my dad a proper chip pan x”
by dellboy1959
Friday, October 12 2012, 9:45AM
“As sad incident indeed,Now i could be wrong but the chip pan in question sounds like the old fashioned type that are highly dangerous and should NEVER be left unattended.
Words fail me that these potential fire bombs haven't been banned from sale years ago.
It's not as if the sealed type with thermostat are a fortune to buy but even if they were,what cost of a human life.
R.I.P.”