AN ARTIST died after inhaling smoke from a fire in his Newcastle Emlyn flat, an inquest held at Llanelli Town Hall on Friday (Nov 24) concluded.
Coroner’s Officer Malcolm Thompson said that Vincent Windsor had been born in Stoke on Trent in 1962, and had changed his name by deed poll later in life to something more artistic. After leaving school he gained employment as an apprentice ceramic painter at one of the regions potteries, before embarking on a career which included a number of jobs.
After moving to Wales he spent some time living at an alternative lifestyle community near Llandeilo before settling in Newcastle Emlyn.
He was a keen artist specialising in painting abstracts. He also loved motorcycles and animals, and all animals seemed to trust him.
On April 27 of this year, emergency services were called to a flat in Newcastle Emlyn following reports of a fire.
Fire crews said that there was heavy smoke in the downstairs flat, where Mr Windsor was found collapsed on a mattress in an unresponsive condition. It was noted that there were a large number of beer bottles scattered around the floor.
He was rushed to Glangwili Hospital and placed on life support, but sadly passed away on April 26. The causes of death were listed as a brain haemorrhage, cardiac arrest, and smoke inhalation, and it was the view of doctors that the smoke inhalation had caused the arrest and haemorrhage.
Fire investigation officers determined that the fire was caused by a lit gas cooking ring which had been placed in close proximity to an armchair pile high with clothes and bedding.
The inquest heard that Mr Windsor’s upstairs neighbour had heard a fire alarm and tried to rouse him before calling emergency services. “It is clear that the person living above him, to his credit, tried to rouse Mr Windsor,” Coroner Mark Layton said.
“The evidence suggests that this was an unfortunate and tragic accident.” Conclusion: Accidental death.
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