A MOTHER of four suffering from severe mental health problems set fire to herself in the outside toilet behind her Blackburn home, an inquest heard.

Mahrun Yakub Adam lit a butane cigarette lighter which ignited fumes from turpentine stored in a drum in the toilet and the explosion turned her into a fireball, the hearing was told.

But Blackburn coroner Andre Rebello said he did not have enough information to determine whether Mrs Adam intended to kill herself or whether her death was accidental.

Recording an open verdict, he said he could not be certain beyond reasonable doubt that she wished to commit suicide.

The inquest heard that Mrs Adam, 37, stumbled in flames into the alleyway at the back of her home in Dunsop Street, Blackburn.

Neighbours wrapped her in a quilt and called an ambulance.

But the mother, who had suffered 75 per cent burns, died two days later in the Royal Preston Hospital. The dead woman's husband, Mr Yakub Musa Adam, told the coroner his wife had been receiving treatment from Queen's Park Hospital for psychiatric problems which she had suffered since having a miscarriage ten years before.

He told of two previous suicide attempts, in 1993 when she had drunk household bleach and in 1995 when she had tried to cut her neck.

He said she had also taken an overdose of tablets.

But Mr Adam said when he left his wife she appeared cheerful.

Consultant psychiatrist Dr P T Salim said Mrs Adam suffered rapid mood swings but said: "Even if she had had a rapid downward mood swing I would have thought it would take a few hours to build up."

Station officer Andrew Barnes, from Blackburn fire station, who investigated the incident, said all the evidence pointed to the fire having started in the outside toilet.

He said the only sources of ignition were the light switch and the cigarette lighter which was found outside the toilet, and this was the likelier of the two.

Detective Sergeant Paul Murphy, of Blackburn CID, said he was satisfied no third party had been involved in Mrs Adam's death.

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