Fat fryer tragedy as girl helped make burgers

Tiffany Smith, described as a "helpful girl", died in November 2006 after suffering 38 per cent burns in the family kitchen in Bathurst Road, Gloucester.

She and her mother Paula, 36, were preparing the food for 10-year-old Ricky's party, when she reached up and tipped the deep fat fryer basket over herself.

Mrs Smith had told Tiffany not to touch the frying burgers while she was briefly taking chips from the freezer.

But Tiffany ignored the instruction and Mrs Smith turned around to find the child "on tiptoes" and pulling the fryer basket over.

Tiffany died at Bristol Royal Hospital for children four weeks after suffering burns to her face, chest, legs, neck and back.

She had developed septicaemia and eventually died of broncho-pneumonia.

Gloucestershire coroner Alan Crickmore recorded a verdict of accidental death, saying Tiffany was "probably overwhelmed by the need to help her mother".

Mrs Smith attended the inquest at the Shire Hall, Gloucester with her husband Shane Smith, 35, a mechanic.

Mrs Smith's other children include Matthew, now 15, Rosie, nine, and Emma Jane, five.

Mrs Smith said: "Tiffany and I were making beefburger rolls together. I was opening the rolls and putting burgers into the rolls. I would hand them to Tiffany who put a slice of cheese on to them, and put them on to a plate.

"We had made up a few rolls when I went to get chips out of the freezer."

As she turned to pull out the frozen chips a keen Tiffany said: "I'll get them out for you mummy (the burgers)."

Mrs Smith told her to leave the burgers alone, and that she would deal with them in a minute.

She continued: "As I turned around I could see her reaching up with the basket of the fryer in her hand and the fryer leaning towards her.

"The next thing, I heard her screaming loudly, 'Mummy help me'.

Mrs Smith added: "I'm devastated at what happened and cannot put into words how I feel."