Dryer likely source of fatal fire, says coroner

A house fire that killed a father and his nine-year-old daughter was most likely to have started in a tumble dryer, a coroner has found.

Sohaib Ahmed, 38, and Manahal Nazir Ahmed died after the blaze broke out in their home on Russell Close in Heckmondwike on 8 June last year.

Manahal's older sister was also seriously injured in the fire and "only survived after extensive hospital treatment", an inquest into their deaths at Bradford Coroner's Court heard.

Coroner Martin Fleming said he was satisfied on the balance of probabilities that the fire originated in a tumble dryer located in the kitchen, but said it was unclear what had caused the ignition.

Fleming recorded a narrative verdict into both deaths due to smoke inhalation from the blaze and said he was considering issuing a prevention of future deaths report.

He told the court: "A potential serious failing mechanism remains unidentified and on that basis can't be prevented."

The inquest previously heard it was unclear whether the Hoover dryer was operating at the time of the fire.

Giving evidence of behalf of Hoover's parent company Haier Smart Home Ltd, Michael Jones, an independent expert, said alternative sources of the fire could not be ruled out.

The inquest heard when firefighters, who were alerted by a neighbour, arrived at the home at about 06:10 BST, there was "thick, black smoke" throughout the property.

Ahmed and his elder daughter were found unconscious downstairs, while Manahal was discovered on the floor of her upstairs bedroom.

All three were not breathing when they were rescued, the inquest was told.

At the time the girls' mother and Ahmed's wife was in Saudi Arabia on the Hajj pilgrimage.

Despite attempts to revive him, Ahmed, who worked as a taxi driver, was pronounced dead at the scene.

His daughters were taken to hospital, but Manahal died later that day from a brain injury, cardiac arrest and the inhalation of fire gases.

Concluding the inquest, Fleming said Manahal had lived in a "loving, caring and happy family home" and shared a close bond with her sister, who was two years older.

He described Ahmed as a "devoted husband [and] a very hands-on-father who would do anything for his children".

Fleming said: "This was an exceptionally tragic event in which both a young daughter and her father lost their lives."

Addressing two family members present at the inquest, the coroner added: "To lose Sohaib and Manahal in such sudden and unexpected circumstances must have been so very, very hard for you to have to bear, and for the extended family.

"Goodness knows what you are going through."