Deceased
Peter Kevin Howard
Demographics
59y, male
Date of death
2018-08-28
Finding date
2024-08-08
Cause of death
inhalation of products of combustion and effects of heat
AI-generated summary
Peter Howard, 59, a 27-year Orora packaging factory employee, died from inhalation of combustion products when his car caught fire outside the Athol Park site on 28 August 2018. After a workplace altercation with colleague Craig Reid, Howard purchased three jerry cans containing 64.61 litres of petrol and transported them in his vehicle's cabin. The coroner could not definitively establish whether the fire was deliberately set or resulted from spontaneous ignition, noting the dangerous conditions created by overfilled containers in a confined space. While Howard experienced documented workplace stress and anxiety over 27 years, his GP and mental health providers had not identified imminent suicide risk. Orora's management appropriately addressed reported incidents. The coroner found Howard reached a breaking point that morning but remained uncertain about his intentions with the petrol or the fire's cause.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes. Report an inaccuracy.
Specialties
Error types
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