Tourist dies after house bus wood burner left open
File photo
A Coroner has found a fatal house bus fire might have been avoided if there had been clear instructions on how to use the wood burner.
Chinese national Jirong Wang, 46, died while staying in the holiday rental near Hokitika in February last year.
In her in-chambers findings, Coroner Heather McKenzie found the woman died from inhaling smoke and other fire fumes.
The house bus had a door-closed wood burner, but there were no instructions on how to use it, so she and her husband left the fire's door open and stacked firewood in front of it, McKenzie said.
"[Her husband] awoke in pain and soon realised there was a fire. He escaped but could not get Ms Wang. Others soon came to help but the fire was too involved to be put out with domestic fire extinguishers," she said.
A forensic pathologist found there was no specific reason for her not to be able to leave the house bus, but the flames moved fast and she might have been overcome by smoke, and disorientation might have played a role, the report found.
A Fire and Emergency New Zealand investigation found the fire had been used incorrectly, with the door left open overnight and the fire burning while they slept.
"I recommend that accommodation providers whose accommodation includes heating by way of a wood burner have clear instructions on use, including not to leave the door open when unattended," McKenzie said.
"Had Mr An and Ms Wang known not to leave the door open, they might not have done so and the fire might not have started in the bus."
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