Latest news with #CarolineCleall
Telegraph
26-05-2025
- Health
- Telegraph
Elderly couple died in house fire after 999 operator did not hear smoke alarm
An elderly couple died in a house fire after the smoke alarm was not heard by the operator during a 999 call, an inquest heard. Bernard and Caroline Cleall, both in their 70s, perished in the blaze at the detached property in Addiscombe, near Croydon, south London, on the evening of Jan 5 2022. Mrs Cleall, who suffered from health issues including limited mobility, had been discharged from hospital months earlier with an alarm call button to be worn on a pendant all day. On the day of their deaths, Mrs Cleall pressed the alarm but was not able to communicate sufficiently as she was stuck in the room where the fire took hold and Mr Cleall was already incapacitated by the smoke. A smoke alarm was sounding in the same room but this was not heard by the call operator. Ivor Collett, the assistant coroner, said: 'The operator caused Careline responders to attend, but the fire brigade were called only once the responders arrived and discovered the fire. 'By that time it was too late to save the two occupants of the house.' At an inquest in April, their cause of death was given as 'inhalation of smoke'. Four fire engines and 25 firefighters were called to the cul-de-sac at 8.08pm and the blaze was under control by 8.59pm. Mr Collett raised concerns that Mrs Cleall was not given the enhanced alarm package, which includes a smoke detector. When triggered, the smoke alarm would have sent an urgent signal to the call operator without the need for the pendant button to be pressed. That automatic feature would have resulted in the London Fire Brigade being notified of an emergency immediately, the coroner said. 'A kind old couple' Mr Collett issued a Prevention of Future Death report on May 9 raising further concerns about the assessment of which alarm package patients should be given. There was no evidence in this case of the content of any assessment, discussion or advice as to the appropriate level of alarm package for Mrs Cleall, he said. He also raised concerns that Croydon social care services was not able to access the record of assessments carried out at Croydon Hospital, depriving it of the ability to review patients' needs properly following discharge into the community. After their deaths, one neighbour said: 'They are a kind old couple ... The woman could barely walk. I know the son visits sometimes, but I don't think he was in.' Another neighbour said: 'They seemed like a sweet couple who always liked pottering around in their garden with their dogs. It looks like they lived there for a long time.'
Daily Mail
26-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Elderly couple killed in horror house blaze pressed panic button but their cries for help were missed by 999 call operator
An elderly couple died in a horrifying house fire despite pressing a panic button after a 999 call operator failed to hear a smoke alarm going off in the background. Caroline and Bernard Cleall, both in their seventies, perished in the blaze in Addiscombe, south London in January 2022 when an emergency care responder was sent instead of the fire brigade. Firefighters only rushed to the blaze once the responders reported it but they arrived 'too late' to save the couple. Croydon Adult Social Care services arranged Mrs Cleall's care package in September 2021 with the help of an NHS organisation called Living Independently For Everyone Services (LIFE). An alarm call button on a pendant was provided for her home on Windermere Road by the Careline service, arranged by the London Borough of Croydon. But as she was given a 'basic telecare package', Mrs Cleall only had access to a call operator whereas a more expensive package would have included an 'automatic smoke detector facility'. Ivor Collett, Assistant Coroner for South London, concluded that the couple's deaths were accidental but raised concerns over the alarm button they were given. He said: 'On the day of the deaths, Mrs Cleall operated the pendant button but was unable to communicate meaningfully with the call operator as she was stuck in the sitting room of the house where the fire had taken hold (away from the main communication device), and her husband was incapacitated by smoke / fumes. 'A smoke alarm was sounding in the sitting room but it was not heard by the call operator. 'The operator caused Careline responders to attend, but the fire brigade were called only once the responders arrived and discovered the fire. By that time it was too late to save the two occupants of the house. 'The firm view of the fire service is that telecare services should by default be recommended to include the enhanced package option. 'This includes a smoke detector which, when triggered, sends an urgent signal to the call operator without the need for the client to operate the pendant button. 'That automated call would result in the fire brigade being notified of an emergency immediately.' The coroner expressed concerns that Croydon Adult Social Care were unable to access the records of Mrs Cleall's assessment carried out at Croydon University Hospital in 2021 because it was held on an NHS system which it could not access. Mr Collett said a discussion should have been had with Mrs Cleall about the level of package which would be appropriate for her and a risk assessment should have been carried out. If she declined a more expensive package against the advice she was given, the decision should have been documented, but there was no evidence of the content of any assessment, advice or discussion had with the elderly woman. Croydon Adult Social Care reviewed Mrs Cleall's situation four to six weeks after she was discharged. The coroner found that the body did not have access to records of any assessment or discussion which had taken place with her. 'This would mean that the review was missing vital information which might have had a bearing on whether the telecare package should have been revised to include the enhanced service with an automatic smoke detector facility,' Mr Collett said. 'In summary, I am concerned that the inability of LB [London Borough of] Croydon Adult Social Care professionals to access records of an earlier assessment undertaken (and advice given) by their colleagues, together with the NHS LIFE team, deprives LB Croydon Adult Social Care of the ability to review the client's needs properly (with the necessary information) following discharge into the community.' The coroner's prevention of future deaths report has been sent to the London Borough of Croydon, which must respond within 56 days.
