Boat stove caused death

AT AN inquest into the narrowboat fire at Trowbridge on the Kennet & Avon Canal last year, it was found that the boat's stove was responsible for the death of its owner.

Jason Phillips died from smoke inhalation and carbon monoxide poisoning after clothing near his wood burning stove caught fire, Alan Tilbury tells us.

Dog walker

It was a dog walker who reported the fire in the morning of the 25th November last year, seeing smoke coming from the narrowboat Rum Lady moored on the waterway near Marsh Farm at Hilperton. (Stove suspected for boaters death).

Fire crews discovered the man's body in the boat and he was confirmed dead at the scene, with a spokesman for the fire service telling that clothing had been left hanging on a chair near to the banked-up stove, that caught fire.

Drinking

In the post-mortem examination carried out on Jason Phillips, it was discovered that he had had 134mg of alcohol per decilitre in his blood, which would indicate ‘moderate intoxication'.

It was stated that the boater had attempted to make his way out of his boat, but he had been overcome by smoke inhalation and carbon monoxide poisoning.