Mum, 46, died after hair extensions caught alight when she lit cigarette, inquest told
A MUM died when her hair extensions caught on fire after she lit a cigarette, an inquest heard.
Tracy Ann Gardiner’s synthetic hair pieces are believed to have caught alight while she was in the kitchen.
The 46-year-old then made her way to bed, where the extensions dripped on to her clothing and bed – causing a blaze.
Tracy was discovered in the smoke-filled bedroom in County Durham and she was declared dead at the scene.
An inquest heard the mum-of-two had been intoxicated when the horror unfolded last October.
Neighbours bravely tried to reach Tracy but were blocked by plumes of thick black smoke.
David Bennett told Crook Coroners’ Court he at first tried knocking to alert the mum but entered the back door when he got no response.
He added: “I ran to the bottom of the stairs and looked up.
“I noticed black heavy smoke at the top. I was in two minds but I thought it was too dangerous to go upstairs.”
He was then joined by dogwalker Stuart Tinnion, who was forced to give up the rescue attempt as smoke filled the hoise.
Firefighters arrived and tackled the blaze using specialist breathing apparatus before finding Tracy in her bed.
A cause of death was given as the effects of fire and acute alcohol intoxication.
Craig Jewkes, the head of fire investigation at County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service, said: “Tracy lit a cigarette, possibly at or around the kitchen table, it has unfortunately caught on part of her wig or synthetic hair and she has moved away into the hall.
“The hair has stopped burning in the sense that it was no longer dripping on the floor but it has dripped onto her clothing.
“The burning synthetic hair has dropped into her clothing. We found no drop marks on the way up the stairs but did find it in her clothes.
“That is the only cause we can identify it directly.”
Assistant Coroner Rebecca Sutton recorded a verdict of misadventure.
