Finding into death of DQ
Deceased
DQ (and sister LQ)
Demographics
2y, female
Date of death
2018-09-13
Finding date
2019-05-29
Cause of death
Carbon monoxide toxicity
AI-generated summary
Two young sisters (aged 2 years 9 months and 1 year 9 months) died from carbon monoxide toxicity following a house fire in their shared bedroom. A stuffed toy ignited against an electric heater, causing a slow-burning fire in a room with a closed door and blocked ventilation. The house had no working smoke detectors—the only battery-powered detector had been removed without replacement, leaving an empty bracket. The family, recent migrants from Iran with limited English, were unaware of fire safety requirements and smoke detector maintenance obligations. Had working smoke detectors been installed in accordance with fire safety recommendations and properly maintained, the deaths could have been prevented. The coroner identified systemic gaps: unclear division of landlord-tenant responsibilities for smoke detector maintenance, inadequate fire safety education for non-English-speaking tenants, and ongoing failure to implement prior recommendations from a 2014 coronial finding involving migrant deaths in a similar fire.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
Error types
Clinical conditions
Contributing factors
- Absence of working smoke detectors in rental property
- Removal of battery from sole smoke detector without replacement
- Ignition of combustible material (stuffed toy) near electric heater
- Closed bedroom door with blocked ventilation
- Limited English and fire safety education for migrant family
- Unclear landlord-tenant responsibilities for smoke detector maintenance
- Use of electric heater with multiple elements in small bedroom with combustible materials nearby
Coroner's recommendations
- Minister for Consumer Affairs, Gaming and Liquor Regulation investigate best way for smoke detectors in rented premises to be maintained and checked, including consideration of annual landlord inspections
- Minister for Consumer Affairs, Gaming and Liquor Regulation and Minister for Planning amend Residential Tenancies Act 1997 (Vic) and Building Regulations 2018 (Vic) to: (a) require all leased residential buildings to have hard-wired smoke detectors irrespective of construction date; (b) make it an offence for landlords to lease properties without working hard-wired smoke detectors at lease commencement; (c) plainly specify landlord and tenant obligations for smoke detector maintenance
- Consumer Affairs Victoria amend Renting A Home: A Guide For Tenants publication to: (a) clarify who should check smoke alarms; (b) include pictorial explanations about how smoke alarms work and save lives; (c) include pictorial instructions on checking and maintaining smoke alarms; (d) include pictorial instructions on what to do in case of fire
- Metropolitan Fire Brigade: (a) work with regional fire services and Consumer Affairs Victoria to expand migrant education programs among multicultural organisations and community groups; (b) regularly publish fire safety advice in ethnic newspapers and publications
Full text
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