A 45-year-old HR manager died following a fire at her flat which was probably started by one of her discarded cigarettes, an inquest has heard.

Caroline Dunaway of Tynmouth Road, Mitcham, suffered a heart attack trying to flee the blaze, and died from smoke inhalation, Westminster Coroner’s Court heard.

Miss Dunaway, who worked for Morrisons, had twice the legal driving level of alcohol in her blood when she died and was found unconscious in her livign room by firefighters.

She was lying facing a window, where she most likely wanted to get air but collapsed as the room continued to burn, firefighter Mark Jones told the court.

He said: “I believe she woke up in bed and went to the front room to try to use the telephone when the fumes overwhelmed her.”

Emergency services were called after a neighbour noticed the house in flames at 10.14pm on May 15, the court heard.

Ambulance crews tried to resuscitate her at the scene before rushing her to hospital.

The next day her family decided to turn off her life support as her condition deteriorated.

A postmortem examination showed that she had damaged lungs and a swollen brain.

Recording a verdict of accidental death the Coroner, Dr Paul Knapman, said there was evidence of smoking in the house and this was “the most likely explanation” for the fire.

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