Girl, 10, was ‘wide awake’ when horror caravan fire erupted killing her & dad – amid fears blaze was ‘sparked by tablet’

The dad and daughter enjoyed spending their weekends at the caravan
A SCHOOLGIRL who died during a fatal caravan fire was awake during the blaze and it was likely caused by a faulty phone or tablet.

Esme Baker, 10, and her dad Lee, 48, both perished in the tragedy at Golden Beach Holiday Park in Lincolnshire in April.

The caravan fire that caused their deaths has now been ruled as “accidental, undetermined”, an inquest heard today.

The pair were on holiday at the Ingoldmells site when the fire broke out at around 3am on April 5.

Emergency crews rushed to the scene shortly before 4am, with police and fire investigators working into the night.

The inquests into Esme and Lee’s deaths, opened previously at Lincoln Coroner’s Court, heard how Lee bought the caravan in November last year and had spent the last few weekends there with his daughter.

Coroner Lindsey Tasker told the reopened inquests at Myles Cross Centre on Tuesday, while both are being held together, they will come to separate conclusions, reports LincolnshireLive.

The hearing was told a toxicology report found Lee had an alcohol level of 172mg per 100ml of blood – with the legal limit to drive 80mg.

However, the court heard the dad would not be considered drunk at the time.

Post-mortem reports determined both father and daughter shared a cause of death of 1A inhalation of the products of combustion.

Coroner Tasker, reading from the post-mortem conclusion, said: “Esme was sadly awake and breathing while exposed to a fire environment but she would have been rapidly overcome.”

Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue said the fire was accidental but a cause could not be clearly determined due to the level of fire damage.

The investigation found the blaze could have been started by a malfunction of a personal electronic device – possibly a tablet found in Esme’s room.

This had part of a charging cable connected to it, but it was unclear if it had been connected to the mains.

A mobile phone was also found in the same area, but most of the furniture and belongings had been “consumed” by the fire.

Lincolnshire Police confirmed the fire was not deliberate and there was no third party involvement.

A statement written by Lee’s mum was read to the court, describing Lee as “a lovable rogue” and a “lifelong Liverpool supporter” who enjoyed betting on the horses and most sports.

She added how Lee “lived for” his daughter and they were “like free spirits, not a care in the world”.

Coroner Tasker said the pair died “as a consequence of the inhalation of the products of combustion” when the caravan caught fire.

She added it “has not been possible” to identify with certainty the cause of the fire.