Care home resident died after cigarette he was smoking ignited flammable cream used for skin condition

A care home has been hit with a six-figure fine after a resident with Parkinson's disease died after his pyjamas caught fire when smoking a cigarette unattended.

Horrified daughter Hayley Boxall fainted at the scene as staff at Barnfield Care Home, Horley , fought to put out the flames which left her father fatally injured, Guildford Crown Court heard.

Wheelchair-bound Gordon Boxall became engulfed in flames when a cigarette he was smoking ignited his pyjamas after he had been treated by paraffin-based creams for a skin condition, it was revealed on Wednesday (September 6).

The 66-year-old was airlifted to St George’s Hospital, Tooting, but died later that day from his injuries.Surrey's Courts

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n    AnchorTrust, which runs the care home, was ordered to pay a total of £210,000 in fines and costs after pleading guilty to three breaches of fire safety regulations in a prosecution brought by Surrey County Council .

The court was told that Mr Boxall, who had Parkinson's, was left alone to smoke a cigarette outside the building even though it was known that he had a tendency to drop things because of his medical condition.

Passing sentence, Judge Peter Moss said: “Better supervision should have been employed – but it wasn’t.”

The tragic events happened in 2015 at the home which houses 63 residents.

Ms Saba Naqshbandi, for the county council, said that Mr Boxall, who was a smoker, had been treated with paraffin-based creams for cracked and dry skin.

She said he had been taken outside for a smoke when a member of staff saw that he was in distress.

“He had become engulfed in flames,” she said.

His daughter 'witnessed the immediate aftermath'

Ms Naqshbandi said care home staff rushed to put out the flames but Mr Boxall had suffered 80% burns and his clothes had burned away.

She said the critically injured man’s daughter Hayley had arrived to visit her father and witnessed the immediate aftermath of the fire.

“She was so shocked that she collapsed,” said Ms Nacqshbandi.

She said Mr Boxall was rushed to hospital but his injuries had proved fatal.

Ms Naqshbandi said the cream used to treat Mr Boxall was flammable when exposed to a flame.

“The cream had impregnated his pyjamas,” she said.

The tragedy might have been prevented

She said the tragedy might have been prevented had Mr Boxall been supervised while smoking or worn a fire-proof “smoking apron.”

The court was told that such aprons were now available to all residents and that there were now alternatives to paraffin-based creams.

Mark Watson, representing Anchor Trust, said his clients were profoundly sorry for what had happened.

“The circumstances were devastating and harrowing for all those involved,” he said.

SOURCE: getsurrey.co.uk, Katherine Clementine, Tony Lithgow