The man who died in a house fire in Tovil had exited the building safely, but then went back inside to fight the flames.

The body of Trevor Hales was later recovered just inside the front door of his home at Ivy Mill Cottages in Ivy Mill Lane.

He had died of carbon monoxide poisoning due to smoke inhalation, aggravated by an ischemic heart condition.

Opening an inquest at the Archbishop's Palace in Maidstone this morning, coroner Katrina Hepburn heard that Mr Hales, who lived with his long-term partner Karen Vereker in the cottage in the Loose Valley.

At around 5.30am on the morning of Saturday, October 16, she was woken by a smoke alarm. She alerted Mr Hales and the two left the cottage safely. However, Mr Hales then decided to go back in to fight the fire and was subsequently was overcome by the smoke.

Mr Hales was a retired handyman, born in Sidcup.

The inquest was postponed for a full hearing on January 14, 2022, at County Hall in Maidstone, starting at 12noon.

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