– Mattress fire ignition
– Fatal fire caused by mattress.
Accident – Death – Obituary News :
A fatal fire that resulted in the death of 21-year-old Emma Field in New Plymouth started on a mattress that was exposed to a naked flame, a specialist forensic fire investigator has told the jury.
Leigh Matthew Frederick Beer, aged 31, is currently on trial facing charges of arson and murder in connection with the tragic incident that occurred in May 2022. Additionally, Beer is also charged with assault with intent to injure.
The prosecution alleges that after a night of drinking and drug-taking, Beer tipped over a bed in which Field was sleeping, set the mattress on fire, and left her to burn to death. However, Beer has denied all charges, with his defense team arguing that the case against him is purely circumstantial and that it is possible someone else could have started the fire.
Forensic Fire Investigator Testifies
During the trial, the jury heard from specialist forensic fire investigator Russell Joseph, who reconstructed the scene of the fire. Joseph stated that based on all known factors, the mattress was set on fire between 10:50 pm and 10:53 pm using a naked flame, which resulted in self-sustaining ignition.
The Crown alleges that Beer started the fire using a combination of a cigarette lighter and butane lighter after being left outside the address at 10:46 pm by friends who went into town without him. CCTV footage reportedly shows Beer returning to the flat where his partner had gone to bed, upset by his behavior at the gathering.
Joseph informed the jury that he ruled out other common sources of ignition, such as wall sockets, appliances, lights, candles, and cigarettes, concluding that there was no evidence of an accelerant being used. He mentioned that the fire would have taken five to eight minutes to reach full ignition, potentially allowing for extinguishing in its early stages.
Field’s Tragic Circumstances
Joseph’s reconstruction revealed that Field had limited chances of escaping the room, as she was found on her back, partially trapped under the overturned bed and mattress, and hemmed in by a dresser. He stated that individuals found facing up after fires are typically either deceased before the blaze or unconscious.
Moreover, Joseph noted that the bed and mattress could only have been flipped over from the bedroom door side with significant force, as supported by the distribution of wooden bed slats across the floor. The lack of burn marks on the undersides of the slats and the carpet underneath indicated that the bed had been flipped before the fire was started.
During cross-examination, defense attorney Julian Hannam inquired about the smoke damage patterns to determine whether the front door was closed during the fire. Joseph stated that he could not definitively rule out the door’s position for a limited period.
The trial continues to unfold as more evidence and testimonies are presented to the jury to determine Beer’s involvement in the tragic death of Emma Field.
Source: rnz.co.nz
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– ignition point of fatal fire in mattress
– fatal fire caused by ignition point in mattress.
