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Yorkshire man killed in fire caused by a cigarette

A young South Yorkshire man broke down in tears as he told an inquest how he battled in vain to save his friend from a raging house fire started by a dropped cigarette.

Christopher Dunster died at his home in Pinfold Cottages, Cudworth, Barnsley, in the ferocious blaze which took hold in minutes.

Mr Dunster, who had drunk eight or nine pints of lager and more than half a pint of whiskey, is thought to have nodded off with a lit cigarette in his hand, igniting the chair he was sitting in.

His best friend Steven Jones, who described Mr Dunster as like a brother to him, broke down during the inquest after recalling the horrific night the 41 year old farmhand died.

Mr Jones, in his 20s, said he spent the day last year with Mr Dunster, known by the nickname Taffy.

Mr Jones only drank three cans of lager throughout the day but Mr Dunster drank in several pubs and at Mr Jones' house in Grimethorpe.

Mr Jones told the Sheffield inquest, "He was very drunk, in one of the worst states I had ever seen him. I had to hold him up and he kept falling over."

Mr Jones returned to Mr Dunster's home with him at around 11pm, and said Mr Dunster settled himself in his "favourite chair" and wrapped himself in a blanket.

He said he had previously told Mr Dunster to watch himself following a string of incidents in which he had burnt his furniture after falling asleep while smoking.

Mr Jones added, "After he sat down he told me he had a cigarette and he would save me some. I then went upstairs to use the toilet, returning around 10 minutes later."

"As I came downstairs I saw smoke and there were flames everywhere. I was shouting but I couldn't see Taffy, and I tried to go in but the flames were just too big and hot."

Deputy coroner Mr Donald Coutts-Wood said Mr Dunster died as a result of inhaling smoke and fire gases, and recorded a verdict of accidental death.

Source: Lancashire Evening Post, 19th June 2008
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