Worn electric blanket sparked fire that killed woman and her dog

Fire fighters found 83-year-old Ann McAllister and her dog lying dead on her bed after her old electric blanket caught fire.

Coroner Mark Wilton has put out findings into her death highlighting the need for care over the use of electric blankets with winter on the way.

McAllister lived alone in her Northland, Wellington, home and was in the habit of leaving the electric blanket on.

A passing neighbour noticed about 7.20am on January 3, 2023.

She was found lying across the with her dog by her side.

The electric blanket was inspected and the controller showed that the selector switch was at the “3” position – the highest heat setting.

McAllister’s daughter, who spoke or texted her every day, said she had been worried for a considerable period about smoke bed her mother leaving her electric blanket on continuously, The coroner said she had bought her mother a new electric blanket “to replace the old worn one” on her bed and thought her mother was using it.

However, after the fire, she discovered it was not on the bed but in a cupboard.

An analysis of McAllister’s blood showed carbon monoxide was detected at 75% saturation.

A carbon monoxide saturation of 60% is generally considered fatal, although lower levels may be fatal in the elderly and in those with compromised lung function.

While alcohol was also present in her blood, it could have come from microbial actions after death, the coroner said.

McAllister had osteoarthritis in her knees and had had a left hip fracture from a fall in 2019. She was also considered to have reduced cognitive function and arrangements for her care were in progress.

Wilton said the bed’s mattress had been destroyed by fire, but no other area of the room appeared to have been damaged. A number of appliances, including an electric blanket, were plugged into adaptors which were in turn plugged into a single power outlet.

He said there did not appear to have been smoke alarms. The fire appeared to have originated within the rear bedroom with smoke and fire damage largely confined to that bedroom

The coroner said Fire and Emergency New Zealand reported that, on average, their staff were called to house fires every three hours and the plastic, synthetic stuffing and other materials found in modern furnishings burnt faster and gave off more poisonous smoke than ever before.

He included in his findings advice about replacing electric blankets every five years, rolling them to store them over summer rather than folding and always switching the blanket off before bed.