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Darwin Awards
2006 Slush Pile

This item was recently submitted by a reader.
Should I include it in the archive?
Vote to tell me what *you* think!

Smoke Alarms

2006 Reader Submission
Pending Acceptance

A couple had already had two house fires, though not too serious. However, so worried were Nottinghamshire Fire & Rescue service that they fitted flame resistant doors and THREE smoke alarms for the family.

Unfortunately, the alarms kept going off when the couple cooked their food.

So they disconnected the alarms.

In April this year, Mr Robert Walker fell asleep in the living room whilst smoking. The cigarette started a small fire, which by the time Mr Walker woke up had become a large one.

His partner and their children escaped, but Mr Walker was overcome by smoke/fumes. He died at the scene.

Currently the story is available at http://www.thisisnottingham.com/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=195917&command=displayContent&sourceNode=134241&contentPK=14933728&folderPk=78486 but it's likely to be taken down after a few days. Can be corroborated by reference to the proceedings at the Coroner's Court, Nottingham

A fuller version is available in the hard copy of the Nottingham Evening Post 17 July 2006, but this is a copy of the current article on the web.

"12:00 - 17 July 2006

A Father died in a blaze started by a cigarette after three smoke detectors in his house were taken down.

The alarms were installed after two fires broke out in Robert Dean Walker's kitchen.

But he and his partner Abbie Kelly decided to remove them because they went off too often.

Then in April another fire broke out at the Rosetta Drive house in New Basford, when Mr Walker fell asleep leaving a cigarette burning.

Mother-of-three Ms Kelly, 29, heard her partner screaming while she rescued her children.

She said: "I went back to the house but when I got there the smoke was thick and black.

"When I opened the door I felt smoke hit my face, the heat was immense and I just couldn't get in - Dean wasn't screaming any more."

Today Ms Kelly warned people to learn from her tragedy. She said: "Everyone should have a working smoke alarm. They should even make it a law."

The Evening Post launched its Sounding the Alarm campaign in 1999, urging everyone to fit them and keep them in working order."

Submitted on 07/20/2006

Submitted by: Mark Whitehead
Reference: Nottm Evening Post (UK), 17 Jy

Copyright © 2006 DarwinAwards.com

>> Moderator Scores <<

James said:
Definitely Toss: Not Amusing
This is one of those ironic stories (e.g. as someone who is so afraid of heights that they go through extreme measures to avoid falling but wind up falling anyway). In this case, it was just REALLY bad luck/tiiming. Hell, the batteries could have died and the result would have been the same. I didn't find this very amusing, nor does it contain much evidence of the level of stupidity we seek. Thanks for submitting just the same, Mark!


Fitzroy said:
Maybe Toss: Lacks Excellence
I suspect this is a very common sort of death. While the deliberate removal of smoke alarms prior to the incident does make it remarkable, it still doesn't click well enough with me. However, the contribution surely is appreciated.


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