A PENSIONER who died from horrific burns after his flat set on fire could have fallen asleep while smoking, an inquest heard. 

Kenneth Olliver died in hospital on September 19 last year, two days after his Barrow flat went up in flames.

Mr Olliver - who had suffered from poor health and was given six months to live - left behind a family who described him as a "well-loved man".

Adrienn Olliver, Mr Olliver's sister-in-law, said: "He was wonderful and a loving brother and the whole family loved him.

"He got on so well with people. He was very funny and a good laugh. He will be very sadly missed."

The 75-year-old, who lived at Admiral Court in Hope Street, had been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer but refused to give up smoking. 

An inquest held at Barrow Town Hall yesterday heard that Mr Olliver had been smoking  a cigarette on Thursday September 17. The inquest was told that he could have been asleep when a spark caused a smouldering fire that burned through the flat, causing severe burns to his legs and internal injury due to smoke inhalation.

He died at Wythenshawe Hospital two days later.

Assistant coroner Mr Robert Chapman ruled Mr Olliver's death was accidental following a fire at his home.

Roger Exley, incident commander and fire station manager, was at the scene on Thursday September 17 and was responsible for identifying the cause of the blaze. 

He said: "Mr Olliver was terminally ill and was looked after by Corporate Care Services.

"At approximately 12.30pm, two carers visited the flat. They stayed around 30 minutes and reported everything to be normal. 

"Mr Olliver had been a heavy smoker and smoked up to 40 cigarettes a day but one of the carers said she didn't think he was smoking prior to their visit as there was no smell of smoke or cigarettes."

The carers left Mr Olliver in the armchair in his living room at around 1pm and the alarm inside his flat went off at 1.07pm. 

Mr Exley continued: "At this stage Mr Olliver was contacted by Telecare who spoke to him but couldn't hear what he said properly.

"They asked if he needed the fire service and he said 'yes'."

A longtime friend and neighbour, Mary McKinlay, was watching television with her friend in her flat upstairs when she noticed thick black smoke coming into her living room. 

A statement from Mrs McKinlay said: "I ran out of my flat, down the stairs, round the front of the building to his flat. 

"Thick, black smoke came into my face and I couldn't see a thing. I didn't know where Ken was. 

"I heard him shout 'I'm here, Mary'. I shouted back saying it was me but I couldn't come in because the smoke was too much.

"I ran back to my flat to call for help and that's when the fire crew arrived."

Mr Olliver was rescued by firefighters wearing breathing apparatus and cared for by the manager of the flats before being taken to Wythenshawe Hospital in Manchester by ambulance. 

While in hospital, Mr Olliver was questioned by the police about the fire and said he was "having a smoke and must have dozed off."

A thorough fire investigation supported Mr Olliver's belief and showed that the fire started when a lit object fell into a wicker waste basket lined with a plastic carrier bag that was next to his chair.

It is believed that the medical cream Mr Olliver was using at the time may have aggravated the effects of the fire on his skin.

Mr Chapman concluded: "Mr Olliver was taken away by ambulance to Wythenshawe Hospital. 

"The view was taken that there was very little they could do to help him. They did their best but he deteriorated and died on September 19."