Cigarette lighter sparked death of ‘human fireball'

A PORTUGUESE waiter who was turned into a human fireball while filling flambé lamps at a Leicestershire hotel sparked the explosion himself with a cigarette lighter, a coroner's court heard last week.

Twenty-three-year-old Joao Martins died in hospital on 17 March following the incident 19 days earlier at the Three Swans hotel, Market Harborough.

Pathologist Alan Fletcher told the inquest, held at Leicester Town Hall, that Martins died from bronchial pneumonia after suffering 50% burns to his upper body, arms and neck.

Breakfast supervisor Claire Farrer said Martins had been filling the lamps with methylated spirit. "I saw him reach into his right-hand pocket, then I heard the flick of a lighter. A massive ball of flames engulfed him," she said.

Farrer could see no reason for Martins, a smoker, to have pulled out the lighter. He had, however, been annoyed with her as she would not let him go out for a cigarette.

The fuel was kept in a 25-litre container under the sink in a room next to the hotel restaurant. Martins was tipping the methylated spirits into a one-litre jug, then transferring it to the lamps ready for lunchtime service.

Farrer broke down in tears as she described how Martins ran past her into the restaurant. "His shoulders and face were engulfed in flames. I think also that his hands were on fire," she said.

Waitress Teresa Camarinha, who was working in the restaurant, told how she heard a scream and saw Martins run into the restaurant with blue flames on his hands and his hair alight. The flames were eventually smothered using tablecloths.

Fire brigade officer Kevin Pearson said the fire was caused by the ignition of flammable vapours which built up around Martins. The method of filling the lamps inevitably meant some methylated spirits was spilled.

The eight-strong jury returned a verdict of accidental death. by David Shrimpton