Inquest told of death after fire
A man who died in an ‘unsurvivable’ blaze was suspected of arson before his body was found in the rubble days later, an inquest heard.
The body of Mark James Herron was discovered in the remains of a detached garage in Tunstall Village Green days after it was destroyed in a fire on February 18, 2020.
Amurderinvestigationwas launched and a man, who was 38 at the time, was arrested in suspicion of murder after human remains were recovered – but was later released with no further action.
Northumbria Police confirmed in July 2020 that they were satisfied no one else was involved in Mr Herron’s death or the fire.
Aninquestintothe53-yearold’s death heard how police officers had been in contact with Mr Herron on the day of his death and had taken him to hospitalinanintoxicatedstate after he refused to leave a Sunderland McDonald’s.
When he was discharged, officers were called again as Mr Herron, who was well known to police, was causing an issue for security staff.
Two officers then dropped him off outside a friend’s home – where his body was later found in the property’s garage – on the evening of the fatal blaze.
The friend had told Mr Herron he couldn’t spend the night but Mr Herron, who was homeless, had entered the garage on the premises before the fire broke out.
The roof and first floor of the commercial garage collapsed and the unstable building was too dangerous to enter, said Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service watch manager Ian Robinson, who described the fire as ‘unsurvivable’.
Giving evidence at the inquest, DCI Graeme Dodds said: "It was determined, quite quickly by police in attendance following the fire, that [Mr Herron] would be a suspect for the offence of arson.
"He was then not seen following being given that status which was out of character for him.
"He was encountered not only by his family very regularly but quite often by the police so a missing person report was created at 9.46pm on Wednesday, February 19, where he was assessed as being medium risk."
Mr Herron failed to check in with his probation officer and his family reported him missing – raising concerns that he may have been in the garage.
Following an assessment, a search with a cadaver dog was carriedoutatthegarageonthe morning of Sunday, February 23.
Human remains were discovered under the rubble which were later identified as MrHerron–andamanwasarrestedonsuspicionofmurder.
DCI Dodds added: "[The forensic scientist] felt that in terms of the time frame there would be a credible argument that it could have been started by a lit cigarette having taken hold into a large fire in the area where Mr Herron lay – or a naked flame from a candle or a match or lighter in similar circumstances.”
Summingupthepost-mortemreportbyDrNigelCooper, senior coroner Derek Winter said: “Mark Herron has died from the combined effects of burns and smoke inhalation – the latter was evident in the form of large quantities of soot in the main airways with black soot in some smaller bronchi."
On Wednesday, May 18, Mr Winter concluded Mr Herron’s death was accidental following the inquest hearing at Sunderland Coroner’s Court.