Mexborough & Swinton Times – Saturday 05 September 1970

Girl Died After Caravan Blaze

A Five months old girl died in Mexborough Montagu Hospital last Saturday soon after being rescued from her blazing caravan home, a Mexborough inquest heard yesterday (Thursday).

Diane Booth. died from extensive burns in a fire thought to have been started by a candle left burning on a wooden table in the caravan. Her father, Peter Booth, a Romany scrap metal dealer, of no fixed address carried the carry-cot in which she was sleeping out of the wooden horse-drawn vehicle parked on a site at Lundhill, Wombwell, after the alarm had been raised by a neighbour. His friend, Mr. Paul Gaskin, also a Romany, carried his daughter Rosemary to safety. She was also burned but was said to be recovering satisfactorily. Mr. Booth said that he returned to his caravan after tending his. horses and asked his wife, Rosi to make him a cup of tea. He the went into the neighbouring caravan of Mr. Gaskin for a chat. Mr. Potter said that Diane died rom extensive burning in a type of fire which spread to the curtains causing rapid Ignition in the .rea of the carry cot. “Unhappily his was where Diane was Placed, he was in the direct line of the ire.

Source

“I can only conclude that the source of the fire was the candle. It was an improvised holder not designed as such. It might have led to rapid burning, but why this did not happen at an earlier stage I am not sure. The holder has not been found and so it must have been burnt. “Recording a verdict of “accidental death” Mr. Potter warned of the dangers of leaving naked lights burning without adult supervision.

Flames 

His wife came round and told him that the tea was ready and stayed a few minutes, no more than five, talking. As they chatted inside the caravan he heard someone shout fire and dashed outside to see flames coming out of the root of his caravan. He and Mr. Gaskin then rescued the children. Mrs. Booth (21), said that she had put the children to bed and they had gone off to sleep quite normally. She left a small candle burning in a plastic candle holder on the table. Rosemary was sleeping on the bed and Diane was placed in her carry-cot at the edge of the bed.

Mrs Booth said that she and Dianne were taken to the hospital in a neighbour’s van.

Doncaster Coroner, Mr. Kenneth D. Potter asked Mrs. Booth if the plastic candle holder was designed for that purpose and she replied that it was found among some scrap iron her husband had bought, although she was not sure what it was used for, she had been using it as a candle holder for the past two years,

Mr. George Rolf, Sub-Officer of Brampton Fire Brigade, said that he had inspected the damaged caravan and had not found any trace of the candle holder. He added that he had never before heard of a candle holder being made of plastic.

“The damage was primarily to the roof and could not be classed as & major outbreak, had it not been for the fact that a child died in the blaze. The burns found on the table suggested the fire had been burning for some time as there was quite distinct charring, but, the rest of the damage is mainly superficial.

“The fire spread to the tablecloth and nylon curtains which must have burned very quickly. It is unfortunate, however, that both these children were lying In the area of caravan which was affected. The caravan has got an open front and a window in the back and that acted like a chimney.”