Gran dies after oxygen tank ‘explodes like firework’ and blows roof off house

A granma who may have been battling coronavirus burnt to death after an oxygen tank exploded and blew the roof off of her home.

Lynn Hadley was killed in the blast which destroyed the roof of her end-terraced house on Easter Monday, an inquest heard.

The 68-year-old, from Walsall in West Midlands, was sitting in an armchair when the sparks began flying from the device.

Ambulance crews had been called to her home after she began to show Covid symptoms, Black Country Coroner's Court heard.

But as crews began the oxygen treatment, the sparks mirrored that of a Roman Candle and a 'humongous box of sparklers being set off'.

Paramedic Emma Spencer shouted: "Oh God," as the chair where Mrs Hadley was sitting caught alight.

Her husband Dave, daughter Kelly, granddaughter Mackenzie and the two paramedics managed to escape the burning house.

However, the granny couldn't be saved despite the efforts of her husband as the flames engulfed the house.

She died in the chair as a result of fatal burns.

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In a statement read out by senior coroner Zafar Siddique, Mr Hadley recalled how he had seen a flash out the corner of his eye as the canister was turned on.

He said: "We called 999 because was Lynn was having a high temperature, unable to stand and was lethargic.

"The paramedics arrived. They were wearing full PPE. The male paramedic asked Lynn a couple of questions while the female paramedic took her temperature.

"The paramedics decided oxygen was needed and the female paramedic took an oxygen bottle and placed it on an armchair.

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"I saw a flash in the corner of my eye. I heard the paramedic that was next to the oxygen tank shout 'Oh God'."

Mr Hadley added: "I saw sparks coming out of the cylinder and heard the gas start to ignite. The male paramedic tried to pull Lynn out of the way of the cylinder.

"The room was full of black smoke. I saw fire across the floor. I managed to grab her arm but due to the smoke I had to get out to the garden.

"We went into the conservatory and out to the front of the property. We tried to get back into the house. Police and fire crews then arrived at the scene."

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Emergency crews rushed to the incident which saw the roof and conservatory completely destroyed.

Paramedics were going to give her some oxygen, with the cylinder still having the wrapper around the top indicating it was new and the seal intact.

Ms Spencer said: "That is when we started to see almost instantly there was an ignition like a humongous box of sparklers being set off.

"There were sparks and it got bigger and bigger rather quickly. It was round the casing area, the top area."

Steve, the paramedic, and Mr Hadley attempted to go and rescue Mrs Hadley but sadly failed.

Senior coroner for the Black Country, Zafar Siddique, had opened and adjourned an inquest into Lynn Hadley's death on April 23.

The inquest continues.

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