A 77-year-old man died in a tragic house fire just days after being formally warned about the extreme dangers of smoking in bed, a coroner's court has heard.
Stubborn refusal of safety advice
James Stokes, known as Jim, was pronounced dead at his home on Woodhouse Road, Mansfield, on the evening of August 18, 2024. Fire crews rushed to the property at 11.20pm after a vigilant neighbour spotted smoke. They discovered the pensioner lying on his bed, where the blaze had originated.
An inquest at Nottingham Coroner's Court, led by coroner Amanda Bewley, was told Mr Stokes was largely immobile following a hip fracture. He habitually smoked hand-rolled cigarettes while lying flat in bed. An ashtray was found near the bed, with three lighters on the floor.
Formal referral ignored before fatal night
The court heard that Mr Stokes received care visits four times daily. His final visit concluded at 10.10pm, merely an hour before the fire erupted. Fire Investigation Officer Bethany Pearson stated three fire engines attended the heavily smoke-logged house.
A crucial safety intervention had occurred weeks earlier. On August 1, Mr Stokes's nurse, Janice Knowles, found him smoking in bed with ash on the bedding and a cigarette underneath him. She immediately explained the lethal risks, but he simply replied "no" to her concerns and refused a referral to the fire service for safety advice.
In a statement read to the court, Ms Knowles said: "The bedroom was particularly smoky. I reiterated the importance of not smoking in bed and he refused a referral." However, after consulting the pensioner's niece, Claire Bonser, the nurse proceeded with the referral against his wishes.
A tragic and preventable loss
Coroner Bewley concluded that James Stokes died due to the effects of a house fire. She stated the blaze was likely sparked by a naked flame used to light a cigarette, which then ignited his clothing or bedding. "The fire took grip fairly quickly," she noted.
"Jim was given advice about the dangers of smoking in bed by his niece and nurse. Unfortunately, he chose to ignore that advice and it carried a great level of risk," the coroner said, offering her condolences to the family.
Mr Stokes's niece, Claire Bonser, described her uncle as stubborn and living alone following the death of his wife from cancer and the sudden loss of his son. "I am angry because I told him to stop smoking in bed many times," she said. "He was stubborn but he was my Uncle Jim and I loved him... I told him numerous times but he was a stubborn old man and this is the outcome. It's frustrating."
