Toxic fumes from settee led to death

Police and fire service investigators are probing the cause of the fire at Mr Benson's home in Chatburn Avenue, Burnley. His body was found on a settee in the living room of his ground floor flat.

Fire chiefs believe the fire had been smouldering for some hours.

Scene-of-crime officers were at the house hoping to discover whether the fatal incident was caused by smoking materials, a heater or some other cause.

Det Sgt Graham Briggs said firefighters had to break into the house, which was locked and secure. "At this stage of the investigation it would appear that it has been a tragic accident,'' he said.

The alarm was raised late yesterday morning after neighbours reported the smell of smoke. Ruth Davidson, who lives on the other side of Chatburn Avenue, on the town's Brunshaw estate, said: "I was just going out when I saw neighbours standing outside the house. I could smell smoke so I rang the emergency services, who broke into the house.'' Neighbours described Mr Benson as a polite man would would always say hello, but who liked to keep himself to himself. He was a retired man who rarely had visitors, although his son had been to see him recently.

Fire crews from Accrington and Nelson attended the incident as Burnley fire appliances were at the scene of a chip shop fire in Briercliffe Road, Burnley. Firefighters went in and found Mr Benson dead on the settee.

Station Commander David Burton said the fire had been smouldering for a long time and the whole premises had become smoke-logged. "There was no doubt Mr Benson was overcome by the smoke and toxic fumes from the sofa,'' he said.

The incident has been reported to the East Lancashire Coroner, David Smith.

A build-up of fat in a ventilation flue overheated, causing smoke damage to the chip shop in Briercliffe Road, at the junction with Acre Street.

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