Woman dies in Coventry house fire

[dutchman]

A woman died after a blaze broke out in the lounge of her house in Hillfields, Coventry today.



The woman, named locally as Amanda Richards believed to be in her 40s, lived alone at the bungalow in Kildale Close.

Shocked neighbours told yesterday how they had raised the alarm after seeing thick plumes of black smoke over the area.

One neighbour was said to have tried to kick in the door of the home before emergency services arrived on the scene.

West Midlands Ambulance Service confirmed it had been called to the incident at 2.10pm, dispatching a rapid response vehicle, but said sadly the woman had been confirmed dead at the scene.

Neighbour Sheridan Aspley, aged 22, who dialled 999, said she had known the woman for about five years.

She told the Telegraph: “I had heard screaming and it sounded like a child so I thought it might have been a child playing in the street.

“I looked around but I couldn’t see anything, but then there was smoke everywhere and I thought, ‘Oh my god’.

“One of the other people in the house at the time thought they had heard a bang, and there was black smoke everywhere.

“Two other people also rang 999 and I have heard that the bloke on the other side tried to kick the door in.

“She was lovely – I just feel sorry for her parents.”

Police sealed off the street as fire crews wearing breathing apparatus battled the blaze. The fire had been brought under control by 2.52pm, but sadly nothing could be done to save the occupant.

Specialist investigators spent several hours at the scene after it had been made safe.

A joint police and fire investigation into the incident will now take place.

[dutchman]

Cuts to healthcare funding contributed to the death of a disabled Coventry woman, a serious incident review has found.



Mum-of-two Amanda Richards lived alone and had 24-hour care at home – but that was cut to 22 hours a day following a routine review by Coventry City Council, the local NHS and her other healthcare providers.

The known smoker was alone when a cigarette started a blaze that ripped through her Hillfields bungalow one afternoon in December 2013, killing the 40-year-old.

The serious case review carried out after her death found the cut in healthcare support had played a major role in the tragedy.

Miss Richards suffered from a degenerative neurological disease which affected her co-ordination and confined her to a wheelchair.

The report showed there had not been an adequate risk assessment carried out into the dangers of leaving Miss Richards unsupervised for those two hours - especially in relation to her smoking habit.

The funding for Miss Richards’ healthcare at her in Kildale Close home came via a direct payment from the council, but the money was sourced from a range of areas including the local NHS - who reduced their financial contribution as a result of the healthcare review in 2011.

The serious incident review read: “When a decision was made in 2011 to withdraw the health component of funding there was insufficient attention given as to whether the existing package of care needed to continue irrespective of the funding provider.

“An assessment of need and risk should have followed and a separate multi-agency decision agreement developed to address any service gaps.”

It added: “Risk relating to fire associated with her smoking while unsupervised was not sufficiently explored in the assessments or care plan, despite acknowledgement of her lack of awareness of hazards coupled with knowledge of her smoking habit and her difficulties in co-ordination and dropping items.”

The report also found that relatives’ concerns about the sustainability of the care plan had not been properly considered.

An action plan, accompanying the serious incident review, has since been reviewed by the council’s scrutiny board who felt recommended changes to council procedures did not go far enough.

A report from the board said: “The board were concerned that the action plan accompanying the report did not contain an action to ensure care plans were regularly reviewed, as this had not happened in this case.

“The board were also concerned that the voice of carers, including family and friends as well as paid carers, had not been listened to and felt it was important this be addressed in the action plan.

“Finally, the board felt that where reviews needed to be undertaken, the action plan should highlight that these need to be done in a timely manner.”

The scrutiny board’s recommendations are due to be considered by the council’s cabinet member for health on October 12.