A SECURITY guard who died from carbon monoxide poisoning was found in a locked room at a derelict Gravesend nursing home, an inquest heard.

Aurthur Ebirim rang his wife to tell her it was “lonely and dark” on his first night shift at Wimborne House, Taunton Vale, shortly before he died of toxic fumes from a petrol generator on October 27 2011.

The family of the 45-year-old father-of-three say they are “devastated” and claim the inquest into his death on June 5 was not fair and did not allow them to question key witnesses.

Representing Mr Ebirim’s family, Etala Anderson, of Fenton Solicitors, said: “He was a lovely, kind man who would do anything for anyone.

“He leaves behind three young children.

“The family are devastated.

“We don’t consider that today’s hearing has been fair.”

The Peckham man, who had been a security guard for 11 years, was covering a shift at the vandalised building and turned on the generator provided for light and heat which, the inquest heard, was not well ventilated.

A single handwritten note was laid on the generator telling users to keep a door in the building open to ventilate the space.

UK Health and Safety Executive inspector John Hazeldean told the jury: “Carbon monoxide is known as a killer.

“It was not what I would call satisfactory performing. “You would have alarms, all sorts of things if you thought gas would be present. Reliance on instructions to keep the door open would be insufficient.”

Anita Ebirim raised the alarm when she did not hear from her husband the following morning and feared he might have been beaten up.

Mrs Ebirim said: “He called me and said it was lonely and dark. He had never worked in Gravesend before.

“I said, ‘I hope no one’s going to beat you up like they used to do.’”

Director of security firm Anchor Services GB Ltd, which has since gone into liquidation, Paul Daley said he thought it was “common sense” that the generator should be kept outside the confined space it was found in.

He said: “No routine instructions are given to security officers but it is very straight forward.

"I thought it was a matter of common sense not to run it inside a small space.

“The company deeply regrets the death of Aurthur.”

A jury at Gravesend Town Hall recorded a verdict of accidental death from carbon monoxide poisoning.

Police investigated Anchor Services but have not pressed charges. Fenton Solicitors are considering their options.