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An inquest has revealed that a devastating Boxing Day house fire last year, which claimed the lives of a mother and her two young children, is believed to have been caused by electrical appliances connected to the mains power supply.
Tragic Loss in Gloucestershire
Fionnghuala Mary Shearman, 38, who was known as Nu, alongside her seven-year-old daughter Eve and four-year-old son Ohner, died during the early hours of December 26 last year at their residence in Brimscombe, Gloucestershire. Her partner, Tom Shearman, who is a serving police officer, managed to escape the burning building and made multiple attempts to re-enter and rescue his family, but was blocked by the intense flames.
Emergency services received a call at 03:12 GMT, with fire crews arriving to find the home heavily engulfed in flames. Leroy Hughes of the Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service stated that flammable materials like soft furnishings and a Christmas tree likely accelerated the spread of the fire.
The Father’s Escape and Rescue Efforts
During the hearing at Gloucestershire Coroner’s Court, Mr Shearman told the court that he woke up shortly after 03:00 GMT to use the bathroom and noticed unusual warmth and smoke inside the home. Realizing a fire had broken out, he tried to wake his family, but failed to reach them and resorted to striking and kicking a window from the outside.
When those efforts failed, he broke into a neighboring home to help the resident safely evacuate and prevent further loss of life. The court heard that the neighbor, June, had shared coffee and cake with the family on Christmas morning just hours before the disaster.
Emergency responders arrived to discover Mr Shearman outside in a deeply distressed state with significant injuries. The blaze caused extensive damage, destroying the roof, ceilings, and stairs, alongside heavy internal destruction.
Inquest Conclusions and Tributes
Senior coroner Katy Skerrett praised Mr Shearman for his valiant efforts to rescue his loved ones. She accepted the conclusion that the fire originated in the living room from an electrical ignition source.
The medical cause of death for all three victims was determined to be exposure to the combustion products of fire. The coroner concluded the case as accidental deaths, calling the incident an absolute tragedy with horrific consequences for a loving family.
Previously, Mr Shearman shared that family and friends had supported him with housing, clothing, food, and compassion. In a statement released through a GoFundMe campaign, he expressed the immense anguish and trauma of the events, noting that his community and loved ones had their lives violently upended, but vowing that he will heal.
