Faulty fire led to death of girl, 2

TRAGIC . . . Safa Mansoor in the dress which caught fire

ONE of the country’s biggest fire services has changed its policy following the tragic death of a two-year-old girl in Glodwick.

Safa Mansoor suffered 90 per cent burns to her body following a fire in the rear lounge of her Kersley Street home, an inquest heard yesterday.

Despite a month of specialist treatment at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool, little Safa died a month later.

Now Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) has altered its home fire risk assessment in a bid to prevent the tragedy from happening again.

Safa’s devastated father Mansoor Safiq and mother Safina Mumtaz have urged families to be vigilant over small children.

The hearing, at Oldham Coroner’s Court, was told how on the morning of March 13, last year, Mrs Mumtaz (30) left Safa and her three-and-a-half year-old brother in the lounge for a few minutes to use the bathroom.

While upstairs, she heard a scream and raced back down to find the top of the little girl’s pink cotton dress on fire.

Mrs Mumtaz frantically put out the flames with her bare hands before wrapping Safa in a blanket and raising the alarm.

Mother-of-three Mrs Mumtaz said: “She wasn’t crying, she was pointing her hands up to be lifted up. I didn’t know what to do.”

Despite a number of operations, Safa’s condition slowly deteriorated and she died on April 10, 2008. The cause of death was given as sepsis brought along by multiple organ failure caused by burns.

The inquest heard that although the coal-effect, living flame gas fire was off in the lounge, the pilot light was on because of a faulty ignition button.

A child fireguard had been placed in front of the fire but was not attached to the wall.

Watch commander Michael Wellings said the probable sequence of events was that Safa had moved the guard and come close to the fire, which could have been turned on by a child or had been on prior to Mrs Mumtaz leaving the room.

A flame had then ignited either Safa’s clothes or a toy she had been holding.

He added: “As a result of this incident, GMFRS made an alteration to its assessment to include fire guards are checked and secured with suitable fixings to the wall.”

Recording a verdict of accidental death, Oldham coroner Simon Nelson added: “If the very tragic circumstances of this incident can be publicised so that it serves to save but only one life, then the lesson of this tragic episode can be learned.”

Mrs Mumtaz (30) said: “Safa was a good girl, a happy child who liked playing with her brothers.

“I would tell parents don’t leave children alone near dangers and try to keep them close.

“It is still very painful.”