Tragedy as dad killed in fire after his wheelchair got too close to gas heater

David Wilson had tried to move on his own before becoming ‘stuck’, an inquest heard

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A much-loved dad tragically died after his wheelchair set on fire after being too close to a gas heater. David Wilson, from Bacup, Rossendale, suffered burns and smoke inhalation following the incident, an inquest heard.

The 63-year-old had been diagnosed with spinocerebellar syndrome in 2014 and became forced to use a wheelchair as his condition deteriorated, while also losing his ability to speak. David was sadly pronounced dead at the scene after a fire broke out inside his garage, where he had been ‘tinkering’ with his beloved tractor.

Following the inquest yesterday (March 12), David was described as a ‘character’ who is ‘dearly’ missed. David had worked for 38 years as a wagon driver before being made redundant, Lancs Live reports.

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His mobility issues worsened after he lost his job, before his diagnosis in 2014. His wife Karen, who had been married to him for 33 years, cared for him at home along with some help from carers.

He had a lap belt in the chair and Karen also used a bungee cord around his chest to stop him from falling out. David had a love of agricultural machinery and had his own small tractor which he kept in the garage at his home in Ramsey Avenue.

On the afternoon of November 20 last year, Karen had wheeled him into the garage so he could ‘tinker’ with his beloved tractor. David had a gas heater in the garage and Karen had swapped the gas cylinder that day but hadn’t pushed it all the way back under the bench.

She left David with his tractor, and did some chores, before checking on him after around half an hour. Then, after a further 45 minutes, Karen saw smoke coming from the garage and realised it was on fire.

She desperately tried to put out the fire and save David but he was sadly pronounced dead at the scene. An inquest, held at Accrington Town Hall, heard from Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service watch manager Warren Topp who carried out an investigation into David’s death.

The court heard that the fire started after David had attempted to move his wheelchair on his own and got too close to the gas heater. Mr Topp undertook tests which revealed that, even without touching the heater, the wheelchair would have ignited within ‘five to 10 seconds’.

Although David being strapped into his chair with a bungee cord likely prevented him from escaping the fire ‘it was not possible to determine if this contributed to his death’. The inquest heard that there had been an incident ‘a few years ago’ when David’s wheelchair had got too close to the heater and one of the tyres had melted.

Although David relied on his wife to move him around he would often become impatient and attempt to move it himself despite his limited mobility and upper body strength. “Although it was at a safe distance when he passed through [the gap between the tractor and the heater] he may have got stuck,” Area Coroner Emma Mather said.

During the inquest David’s brother Stephen raised concerns about the use of a bungee cord and the uneven flooring in the garage. The coroner said: “David had a bungee cord to keep him upright and I am not entirely sure whether this was appropriate but families have to attend to the needs of their loved ones and support their independence.

“David had full capacity and he was aware of the risks. We know the wheelchair was only just wide enough to fit through the gap and he could self-propel using his feet and limited arm movements.

“This would not have been a quick movement and once the chair had ignited it would only have taken a matter of seconds for the fire to start and spread. David probably attempted to get to the door.”

The coroner recorded the cause of David’s death as smoke inhalation and burns and concluded his death was an accident. After the inquest, David’s brother Stephen said: “David was the first sibling to be born. Our late father passed away suddenly in February 1978 aged 41.

“David became the father figure and left school early to put food on our table. David leaves behind two sisters, Tracey and Louise, and myself, Stephen. He also leaves behind his mum, 83-year-old Maureen Wilson plus a daughter Hannah and many nieces and nephews and cousins.

“He was a character and loved the sounds of Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins. I would spend hours with him tinkering at my many cars and I used to go out drinking with him. We miss him dearly.”