A FIRE which killed a 79-year-old man was caused by a defective electric blanket, an inquest heard.
John Jones Morris, of Yr Hen Efail, Llangollen, was found unconscious in the bedroom of his flat by fire crews on November 17.
Attempts to resuscitate him were made, but he was pronounced dead at about 1.15am.
His nephew, Gareth Wyn Edwards, of Llangollen, said: “He will be missed by everybody.
“He enjoyed having a pint in the Hand Hotel every night and was always telling jokes.”
The inquest heard that on the evening of November 16 his next door neighbour, Tony Blundell, smelt burning coming from the flat.
After knocking on the door but getting no reply, Mr Blundell went to the Hand Hotel where told Mr Morris him about the smell.
Mr Morris said he would go home to check after he had finished his drink.
In a statement read out at the inquest, Mr Blundell said: “I returned home about 12.15am and saw the dog on the landing. There was smoke on the communal stairway and when I opened Mr Morris’s door his hallway was full of black smoke and I couldn’t see inside.”
Mr Blundell called out to his neighbour but when he heard no reply rang the fire brigade.
Denbighshire county fire safety manager Kevin Smith said: “The smoke would have been very thick and toxic and even a fully fit and capable young person would have been overcome and disorientated by it.”
North East Wales coroner John Gittins recorded a verdict of accidental death.
Shortly after the fire, an investigation was launched by the fire service to find out why it took Llangollen crews 20 minutes to get to Mr Morris’s flat when it should take just six.
