A PENSIONER and his dog died after an electric fire set bedding ablaze, an inquest heard.

An inquest held in Caernarfon into the death of Peter James Davis revealed he had died on Saturday, 16 April, at his home, Tryfan Hall, in Rhos Isaf, Rhostryfan, following the fire.

His friend Barnabus Quentin Brooks had gone to visit the 71-year-old that day and discovered his house was full of smoke. Mr Brooks told the inquest that Mr Davis, who lived alone, slept in a room downstairs and often had electric heaters turned on as he didn’t like the cold.

It was also discovered that Mr Davis had a fear of intruders and always kept his property and doors inside locked. Mr Davis had called Mr Brooks on the day he died, raising concerns that he heard a noise in his basement and asked him to come to his home.

Speaking at the inquest, Mr Brooks said: “After getting a message saying he thought someone was in the basement, myself and my wife, went up to his house at 7pm. When we got there I noticed his windows were black and his smoke alarms were going off.

“I managed to break through the front door and I shouted his name, but there was no answer. The internal door to his bedroom on the ground floor was also locked. As I burst my way in, all I could see was smoke.

“I remember the intense heat in the room and the red glow from the electric fire.

“I just knew as a former fire team leader there was no chance anyone could have survived in that house.”

Bryan Williams, a fire investigation officer from North Wales Fire Service, said Mr Davis was found slumped in a chair in the corner of the room with his dog beside him.

He said: “We discovered a two-bar electric fire which was in very close proximity to the bedding, which would have caused it to melt, causing toxic fumes.

“We believe the initial fire woke Mr Davis up and he had moved from where he was sleeping over to the chair, but as the door was locked he became confused and was eventually overcome by the fumes.”

Pathologist Dr Mark Lord said he found extensive burns to Mr Davis’ body during a post-mortem and 35 per cent of his blood was saturated with carbon monoxide.

North West Wales senior coroner Dewi Pritchard described Mr Davis’ death as an unforeseen event and recorded an accidental death.

He said: “I believe Mr Davis was probably on his bed when the fire started, which then created clouds of poisonous fumes.

“From where he was discovered, it suggests he tried to get out of the room, but unfortunately it was locked, and he then collapsed from the effect of carbon monoxide poisoning.

“The percentage of carbon monoxide in his blood was not high so I believe he died fairly quickly.”