A 91-year-old grandfather has been identified following an explosion and blaze at a Nottinghamshire residence, with an inquest now underway into his death.
Derek Poole passed away on May 9 during an incident at a property on Church Lane in Selston. Emergency responders arrived at approximately 7.18pm and located the elderly man’s remains among the debris shortly afterward.
The formal opening of the inquest into Mr Poole’s passing took place at Nottingham Coroners’ Court on June 17.
During the brief two-minute hearing, assistant coroner Nathanael Hartley stated that DNA analysis had been used to identify Mr Poole. A post-mortem examination established the provisional cause of death as consistent with breathing in combustion products alongside ischaemic heart disease.
Concluding the short session, Mr Hartley expressed his heartfelt sympathies to Mr Poole’s family and loved ones.
In a social media post following his death, his granddaughter Jodie Richards disclosed that Mr Poole had entered his workshop shortly before the tragedy occurred.
According to her account, the family remained in shock. She noted that her grandfather had gone into his workshop and shortly afterward a significant explosion occurred. The cause remained unknown at that time. She added that firefighters required a considerable period to bring the blaze under control and expressed gratitude for all emergency services involvement, describing them as remarkable. The family endured an agonizing wait of approximately one and a half hours before being informed that his remains had been discovered. She described their devastation and said that seeing photographs and footage knowing he was inside was heartbreaking, expressing hope that he had not suffered.
Nottingham Autograss Club, a motorsport organisation based in Ollerton Road, Southwell, also issued a statement honouring Mr Poole. The tribute described him as a sporting legend during his time involved in autograss and a genuinely decent person, with condolences extended to his family.
Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service had previously indicated that investigators were working jointly with Nottinghamshire Police to establish the full circumstances surrounding Mr Poole’s death.