Peterborough house fire that killed two people could have been caused by 'daisy chained' extension cables

Adrian Bochentyn (29) and Urszula Stankiewicz (38) both died when the home in Crabtree, Paston, caught fire in the early hours of the morning on June 19 this year.

Emergency services were called by a neighbour at 5.46am – and a few minutes later multiple calls were received by the fire service.

Both Adrian and Urszula were pulled from the burning building by fire crews, and rushed to Peterborough City Hospital. Sadly Adrian died shortly after he arrived, while Urszula died two days later, on June 21, with both suffering ‘unsurvivable’ injuries

Today (October 3) an inquest into their deaths heard an electrical issue, most likely in the home’s conservatory, was the likely cause of the tragic blaze.

Coroner Simon Milburn said it was likely the electrical issue was caused one of two ways – either a set of three extension cables, all connected to each other – described as being ‘daisy chained’ together by investigators – leading from a bedroom into the conservatory, overloading the system, or water, coming through into the conservatory from a leaking roof, reacting with an electrical appliance.

The inquest heard there was only one smoke alarm found in the home, and it was not clear to investigators whether it was working or not.

Statements from friends of Adrian and Urszula were read to the inquest, with comments made about the home.

One friend said that although there were ‘wires coming out of the walls, especially where light switches had been’, they were not concerned as Urszula was a qualified electrician.

Mr Milburn said: “What is clear is Adrian and Urszula were present within the house on June 19 when a fire started on the ground floor, most likely as a result of an electrical failure towards the rear of the property, probably within the conservatory.

"The precise location, and the reasons for the failure, are not entirely clear. Water ingress through a leaking roof is one possibility, an electrical overload is another."

An investigation revealed the fire was able to spread through the home quickly, as holes in the conservatory roof would have fed air into the flames – and insulation in the walls was flammable.

Adrian and Urszula were in separate upstairs bedrooms when they were found by firefighters, and were both found near the bedroom doors, with the inquest hearing they were both ‘overcome’ by the smoke.

The crews rescued the pair from the home, giving first aid while ambulances were en route to the scene, before they were taken to Peterborough hospital.

Sadly, there was nothing medical teams could do to save the pair.

Mr Milburn said they died as a direct consequence of burn injuries and smoke inhalation.

Mr Milburn recorded conclusions of accidental death, and sent his condolences to the friends and family of Adrian and Urszula.