Coroner of Inquests Jayne Hughes has ruled a 91-year-old Peel woman’s death was as a result of an accident.

Gwendoline Crellin, a retired radiographer, of Battery Road, Peel, died of carbon monoxide poisoning following a fire in her home in February of this year.

On Friday Mrs Hughes ruled that the fire was likely caused as a result of a faulty electric blanket which was switched on in the main bedroom.

Witnesses told Mrs Hughes that residents in the other flats were awoken by the fire alarm shortly after midnight on February 6. Two of Mrs Crellin’s neighbours who gave evidence said they saw smoke when they exited their flats and one of them rang the fire service.

Fire fighters from Peel and Kirk Michael responded to the 999 call within 11 minutes, which Mrs Hughes called a ’swift and appropriate response’. She also praised the actions of fire fighters who entered the flat, rescuing Mr Crellin and attempting to rescue Mrs Crellin.

Two fire fighters who entered the flat found Mrs Crellin in a water closet under the stairs but she did not appear to be breathing. Those two fire fighters carried Mrs Crellin out of the building to waiting paramedics, however it was confirmed she had died in the fire.

Mrs Hughes said following an investigation by fire officer Tony Duncan, it was concluded the fire had been caused by an electric fault and not through any fault of Mr or Mrs Crellin.

Following evidence from an independent expert who ruled out other electrical items in the bedroom as the cause of the fire, Mrs Hughes said: ’I am satisfied that the fire was caused by an electric fault in the electric blanket.’

She added that there was ’no other plausible explanation’.