An 82-year-old Wellington woman who died after her “old, worn” electric blanket set her bed on fire had a new blanket in the cupboard waiting to be used.
Investigators have ruled the most likely cause of the fire that killed Ann Davies McAllister last year was an “overheating event” as the 11-year-old electric blanket caused her mattress and bedding to smoulder and combust.
Firefighters found McAllister on her bed on January 3 last year, having died from inhalation of “products of combustion”, Coroner Mark Wilton said in a report released today. Her dog also lay dead next to her.
The coroner said the timing of the report, as New Zealanders head further into autumn, served to remind people of the importance of using electric blankets safely.
He pointed to advice that electric blankets should be replaced every five years, should not be left on while anybody was on the bed, and that worn or old blankets should be replaced or checked by an electrician.
Investigators discovered McAllister had left her blanket on the highest setting before her death.
McAllister lived alone in a three-storey house in the suburb of Northland. She kept in touch with her daughter daily and had last texted her daughter at 10pm on January 2, 2023.
The next morning, a neighbour noticed smoke coming from beneath the eaves of the house and smelled what he thought was burning plastic, the coroner’s report said.
When firefighters forced their way inside, they discovered McAllister’s bed was on fire. She and her dog were both unresponsive and it was “clear” to attending officers that she was dead.
“Attending emergency staff noted the bed’s mattress had been destroyed by fire, but no other area of the room appeared to have been damaged. A number of appliances, including an electric blanket, were plugged into adaptors, which were in turn plugged into a single power outlet,” the report said.
“Mrs McAllister’s daughter told police that she had been worried for a considerable period about Mrs McAllister leaving her electric blanket on continuously, as well as leaving lights on and candles burning overnight. She had also been concerned about the electrical wiring in the house.”
There were no smoke alarms in the house.
Her daughter had bought a new electric blanket “to replace the old, worn one” and had thought McAllister was already using the new one.
“However, after the fire she discovered, it was not on the bed, rather it was in a cupboard. Mrs McAllister had also declined her daughter’s offer to help her put the new blanket on her bed. The blanket on Mrs McAllister’s bed at the time of the fire was manufactured in 2012.”
The fire investigator “considered the most probable cause of the fire was an over-heating event involving the electric blanket on the southwest corner of the bed, resulting in the slow smouldering combustion of the mattress and bedding”.
The time of the fire and McAllister’s death could not be determined as her last contact with her daughter was about 10pm and she was not found until 7.30am.
Fire and Emergency NZ has shared advice about electric blankets after the release of the report.
Community education manager Adrian Nacey said it was important that people understood damaged or improperly used electric blankets could be dangerous.
“Electric blankets should only be used to warm the bed before you get in it. Always make sure your electric blanket is turned off before you go to sleep.
“Electric blankets should be placed flat on beds and people should make sure that controls and cords are not twisted or caught between the mattress and the base of the bed.
“Make sure heavy objects aren’t placed on the bed when the blanket is in use.”
Nacey said people could check for hotspots in the blanket by turning it on high for 15 minutes, then switching it off and running a hand over it.
“Make sure your electric blanket is less than five years old and, at the first sign of wear, it needs to be replaced or checked by a registered electrician.
“At the end of winter, make sure they are stored away correctly. They should be rolled, not folded.”
Melissa Nightingale is a Wellington-based reporter who covers crime, justice and news in the capital. She joined the Herald in 2016 and has worked as a journalist for 10 years.