News
Hairdrier sparked the tragic fire that killed Natasha Mullings
Monday, 06 April 2009
Natasha Mullings
THE dad of a much-loved nursery teacher killed in a fire after using a hairdrier to warm her bed has pleaded with others to learn from the tragedy.
Natasha Mullings, 35, was killed after a blaze ripped through the Dulwich flat she shared with her 15-year-old daughter Shanice and the man she planned to wed, Gary Stanbury.
The coroner at yesterday’s inquest into her death said Natasha – who had worked at the Ethelred Nursery in Kennington for 15 years – had fallen asleep with the hairdrier turned on in her bed or switched it on by accident as she slept.
A London Fire Brigade investigator said it had then over-heated and started the blaze.
Speaking after the hearing, Natasha’s dad, Louis, 61, who used to run the New Queen’s Head pub in Stockwell Road, Brixton, warned others of the dangers of using a hairdrier in such a way.
He said: “People need to realise this is not something that should be done in a cold bedroom.
“I would hate to know that anyone else lost their life like this.
"I’m not going to blame Natasha, saying she should have known it was dangerous because lots of people do it.”
Louis, who was diagnosed with cancer after his daughter’s funeral, said the family would “remember the good times we all had together”.
He said: “We lost an angel who we can never replace but I think she is in the the right place, looking after all the children in heaven, like she always loved to do.”
The inquest heard that, at 1am on November 15 last year, Natasha had got back from a night out with workmates.
By the time Gary had returned to their Croxted Road home from a night out two hours later, the fire had taken hold and he joined neighbours in trying to rescue Natasha and Shanice.
Jessica O’Callaghan, who lived in the flat below Natasha said her boyfriend and his friend rushed upstairs to try to get into the flat.
They were joined by Gary, who told the hearing: “I tried to kick the door in, that was my first reaction.
"I forgot I had a key, then I opened the door and the first thing I saw was this black smoke.
“Then I saw Shanice standing in her bedroom doorway and told her to get out.
"I was trying to see if I could get into Natasha’s room.
“It was just too hot and there was all the smoke.
“I kept on going in and out.
“I could only get so far before I had to go out again.”
He said firefighters then arrived and told him to get out of the building.
Miss O’Callaghan said Gary then went onto the green outside the flat, where he began rolling around the floor, punching the grass and crying while she comforted Shanice.
Gary told the hearing he and Natasha used a hairdrier to warm the bed, but they would never leave it unattended nor cover it with the duvet.
Assistant deputy coroner for Southwark Shanta Deonanne said Natasha’s death was a “tragic accident”.
To leave your tributes to Natasha fill in the comment form below.
To read tributes left by others, read the comments on our previous story on the tragedy by CLICKING HERE
Email: jenny.clover@slp.co.uk
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