Woman died after blaze raged in her Lisburn home
The inquest held on Friday found that Margaret McCambley (64) died of smoke inhalation in the blaze at her terraced bungalow in Lisburn.
Although the flames had been so hot that they melted the smoke alarm, the fire was small and did not spread beyond her end terrace - and was only noticed the following morning when a visiting carer saw the smoke blackened windows.
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Hide AdThe victim’s daughter Elaine McCambley lived just 50 yards away and frequently kept an eye on the house for signs of trouble.
But she said because of the double glazed window no-one heard the smoke alarm and the windows did not blow out.
The inquest heard that Margaret was discovered lying close to a chair where the blaze apparently started with a cigarette, as a pack was found nearby.
Serious health problems plus a large quantity of alcohol she had drunk that night made it less likely she would have survived, the court heard.
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Hide AdJohn Davison fire service watch commander based in Lisburn said afterwards the house in Maralin Avenue was ‘stone cold’ when he arrived indicating the fire had extinguished itself hours earlier.
He added these words of caution: “Don’t smoke late at night, especially if you’ve been drinking.
“Don’t smoke in bed and just dispose of your cigarettes ends properly.”
Daughter Elaine said her mother had narrowly avoided death once before in near identical circumstances when she had been smoking in bed.
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Hide AdDescribing her mother as ‘friendly’ and ‘full of life’ before her illness she said she felt ‘devastated’ to have been so close by and seen nothing.
Her partner Noel Scott also at the inquest said, “I think they should have some sort of warning light or bell to tell people there’s a problem inside.
“Old people just cannot move quick enough.”