A LITHUANIAN immigrant who found England too cold burnt to death after huddling next to a fire, an inquest heard.
Hotel worker Rolandas Sabas, 24, of Gillian Street, Ladywell, was engulfed in flames as he tried to keep warm in front of a blazing gas stove, on December 23, last year.
His neighbour, Alwyne Kennedy kicked down the door when he smelled smoke and discovered Mr Sabas's badly burnt body in a chair.
He managed to put out the blaze with bath water.
Mr Sabas was taken to King's College Hospital with nearly 90 per cent of his body covered in severe burns. He was transferred to Chelsea and Westminister Hospital where he died later that night.
Westminster Coroner's Court heard how Mr Sabas and his wife came over to England for a better life.
Experts believe the fire started either because his puffa jacket caught fire or the newspaper he was reading caught light setting fire to his jacket.
Recording an accidental death, coroner Dr Anthony Barton said: "The firefighters are satisfied the cause of the fire was an accident."
April 8, 2002 20:00
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