Midwife Annie Vaseer’s fire death was accidental

Jun 3 2010 Huddersfield Daily Examiner

THE blaze which killed a retired midwife in her Paddock home was not deliberate, a coroner has ruled.

The inquest into the death of Annie Vaseer was halted last December following new claims that the fire was started on purpose.

But yesterday coroner Roger Whittaker found that Mrs Vaseer’s death was accidental, after he heard there was no evidence of foul play.

Following the Huddersfield hearing her family members said they were satisfied with the long-awaited verdict and paid tribute to the much-loved grandma.

Her niece Dr Jayne Hawkins said: “I think it was a tragic accident and I’m satisfied that the police have done a thorough investigation.

“She lived in a mainly Asian community, was well-liked and had no problems with anyone.”

Mrs Vaseer, known to friends and family as Anne, spent years as a midwife and delivered more than 1,000 babies at Huddersfield hospitals.

The inquest had heard that the 71-year-old died from injuries after a fire ripped through her terraced house on Beech Street.

The blaze started the hallway of the property on May 26.

Mrs Vaseer was rescued by four men who kicked in the door and dragged her still conscious on to the street.

The widow was taken to Pinderfields Hospital in Wakefield suffering 54% burns to her body, but sadly she died on June 1 after four operations.

West Yorkshire Fire Service said they believed the blaze was started by an unextinguished cigarette butt.

But her rescuers said Mrs Vaseer told them the fire had been deliberate.