Woman set herself on fire lighting a cigarette

Nov 29 2008 By Hannah Webster

Housefire in Heathcroft Avenue

A woman died in a house blaze in Sunbury after setting her clothes alight leaning over the hob as she lit a cigarette, an inquest heard.

Margaret Jyssum's clothes could have been smouldering for up to 20 minutes before catching alight, fire investigator Bryn Strudwick told Woking Coroner's Court on November 27.

When he visited the house in Heathcroft Avenue he found traces of tobacco around the hob and there was 20% fire damage to the kitchen, which suggested that was where the blaze began.

Miss Jyssum, 55, had 211mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood in her body, more than two and half times the drink-drive limit, and was unable to react quickly enough, said forensic pathologist Kenneth Shorrock in a statement.

Her charred remains were found in the living room by firefighters tackling the blaze at her home and she had to be identified through dental records. A post mortem revealed she died of burn injuries.

Neighbour, Georgina White, who had known Miss Jyssum for about eight years, told deputy coroner of Surrey Karin Englehart she had been very worried about her friend in the 18 months leading up to her death.

She said: "Her partner was in hospital for lengthy periods of time. Her mental and physical state deteriorated enormously. Her social abilities to even talk to you seriously deteriorated.

"She wasn't sleeping upstairs any longer, she wasn't bathing, I could see fleas coming off her hair. I believe she had a mental health problem."

Mrs White told the inquest she had encouraged Miss Jyssum to attend Alcoholics Anonymous, as she was "deeply unhappy", drank a lot of red wine and brandy, and put alcohol into her coffee first thing in the morning.

Another neighbour, Gordon Tutt, told the inquest on the night of the fire, which occurred on February 2 at about 10.45pm, he saw Miss Jyssum alight through a window in her living room.

He said: "It was a very intense fire. I immediately realised it involved a person because they were standing and moving their arms. I called the fire brigade immediately."

Verdict: Accidental death