Fighting fire fatal move

The death of a renowned Christchurch medical professor in a house fire demonstrated the importance of leaving a burning building immediately, an inquest into his death heard.

Sir Don Beaven, a diabetes expert and a former chairman of the Canterbury Area Health Board, died in a fire at his Little Akaloa holiday house on November 4 last year.

At an inquest yesterday, Senior Constable Stephen Ditmer, of Akaroa, said Beaven had been known to turn his electric blanket on ahead of a regular post-lunch nap.

He also had a fan heater by his bed, which he occasionally used to warm the room.

On the day of his death, Beaven arrived in Little Akaloa around 8am. He started watering his garden with a hose, also turning his electric blanket on ahead of his nap.

Locals raised the alarm at about 11.40am after seeing smoke coming from the house.

Several people dampened the area around Beaven's home to save neighbouring properties. They tried to locate him but the fire had become too powerful for them to go in, Ditmer said.

A scene examination revealed that the garden hose had been taken into the house, indicating Beaven had tried to fight the fire.

Dr Kenneth Anderson, who produced the pathology report, said soot in Beaven's airways confirmed smoke inhalation.

Anderson said the smoke produced in a house fire could be toxic because of the mix of material burning, including upholstery, curtains, carpet, and paint.

He said Beaven would have lost consciousness after two to three breaths, and would have died "very rapidly".

Anderson knew Beaven, and said his personality "was such that he would have done everything he could to put out the fire" once it had started.

Fire safety officer Graeme Reid said the fire appeared to have originated inside the bedroom on the second storey of the house.

Reid said there were two possible causes, with an electrical malfunction of either the electric blanket or the fan heater responsible for the blaze.

He said Beaven's death reinforced the message that anyone in a fire should "leave the place, get out and stay out".

Beaven's daughter, Sarah, was present at the inquest.

She said the family supported the Fire Service's message.

"We would like people to think about [what happened to Beaven] when they are in a fire."

After hearing the evidence, regional coroner Richard McElrea said the facts of Beaven's death were "clearly set out".

He found that Beaven had accidentally died of smoke inhalation, after going back into his house in an attempt to put out a fire.

- © Fairfax NZ News