Cigarette caused fatal blaze at artists’ studios in Clerkenwell - death of Polish-born Aleksandra Rosiak, a tragic accident, says coroner

Published: 21 May 2010
by JOSIE HINTON

THE death of a woman in a fire at a block of artists’ studios and workshops in Clerkenwell was a tragic accident, a coroner has ruled.

Polish-born Aleksandra Rosiak, 31, known as Ola, died after the blaze broke out in a second-floor studio at Panther House, Mount Pleasant, off Gray’s Inn Road, on February 21.

She is thought to have been staying in an artist’s studio inside the building.

The death was initially treated as suspicious by police as Ms Rosiak had a burn mark on her back and unexplained bruises on her body. But Detective Sergeant Ian Madison told St Pancras Coroner’s Court on Monday that suspicions were dropped after police spoke to Ms Rosiak’s boyfriend and friends, who had seen her on the night she died.

She had been drinking with friends and had phoned her mother in Poland to wish her a happy birthday. It is not known when she went back to the block but her last contact was a phone conversation with a friend about two hours before the fire was detected.

The alarm was raised at about 11.45pm by a neighbour who saw smoke coming from the building. Four fire engines from Clerkenwell and Euston were called to the block, where they found Ms Rosiak unconscious. 

Paramedics tried to revive her but she was pronounced dead at University College Hospital an hour later.

The court heard the most likely cause of the fire was a lit cigarette from an upturned ashtray found near where she was sleeping.

Michael Gavin, watch manager for London Fire Brigade’s investigations team, told the inquest: “My opinion would be that the fire was caused by a discarded or dropped lit cigarette, or possibly an overflowing ash-tray.” 

He said Ms Rosiak would have fallen unconscious very quickly, after which the heat from the fire would have burned her back. “As soon as a victim inhales carbon monoxide, it renders them incapacitated,” he said. 

Recording a verdict of accidental death, coroner Dr Andrew Reid said: “It appears a discarded cigarette or smoking materials have reignited to cause a fire.”