Electrical items caused fatal fire, inquest hears

A house fire on Boxing Day last year which killed a woman and her two children is believed to have been caused by electrical appliances, an inquest has heard. Fionnghuala Mary Shearman, 38, known as Nu, her seven-year-old daughter Eve and her son Ohner, four, died at their home in Brimscombe, Gloucestershire, in the early hours of 26 December last year.

Partner and serving police officer Tom Shearman, escaped and tried to re-enter the house multiple times to save his wife and children, but was unable to due to the severity of the blaze. Leroy Hughes, from Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service said items such as soft furnishings and the Christmas tree would likely have fueled the flames.

An inquest held at Gloucestershire Coroner's Court on Monday heard the fire likely started in the living room, caused by electrical items connected to the mains power supply. Shearman told the court he had noticed an "unusual warmth and a smoky atmosphere" in the house when he got up to use the bathroom shortly after 03:00 GMT.