A WOMAN died in a blaze after her alarm link to a warden was cut - because she 'abused' the system.

Dorothy Bailey, 58, died after her bed caught fire. The blaze was probably started when she knocked over a candle, an inquest heard.

Her body was found on New Year's Day in the hallway at the sheltered accommodation in Partington, where she collapsed as she tried to escape. She died of asphyxia due to smoke inhalation.

Dorothy, who was an alcoholic, used the candle for light because she had not paid for electricity, which was on a pre-payment card. Her gas supply was also disconnected.

She couldn't summon help when the fire broke out in her flat at Camomile Walk,Partington, because the warden link had been cut by the council - because she was not an old age pensioner and she used the system when she didn't need to.

On top of this, the Partington Housing Association property's smoke alarms are connected to the mains. As her supply was cut off her smoke alarm didn't work.

Recording a verdict of accidental death on the widow, coroner John Pollard said: "I am concerned the warden link was disconnected. I appreciate fully she may have become a 'pain in the neck' by abusing the system, but surely this system is there to enable vulnerable people to use it and be protected.

"And also if the smoke alarm had worked it may have given her an extra few seconds. I hope some of the lessons that can be learned from this will be taken on board."

A post mortem revealed her alcohol level was within the drink/driving limit. Her friend John Nolan described her as a 'very polite lady'.

A spokesman for Trafford Council, which provided the warden call service, says: "In the light of the coroner's comments on this case, the council is carrying out further enquiries into the circumstances."

Ian Perry, the chief executive of Harvest Housing Group, which Partington Housing Association is a member of, told SAM: "There is a back-up battery on the smoke alarm that powers it for 48 hours. But Mrs Bailey had had her power off for so long it had gone flat."

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