Gas cooker error ‘led to three deaths in caravan’

It is believed there was no working carbon monoxide detector in the static caravan in Cornwall where the bodies of John Cook, 90, his wife Audrey, 86, and their 46-year-old daughter Maureen were discovered on Saturday afternoon.

Devon and Cornwall Police today confirmed carbon monoxide poisoning had been established as the cause of death at the mobile home, at Tremarle Home Park, Camborne. A police spokesman said the cause is “believed to be from incorrect operation of the gas cooker”.

Early readings from experts at the site revealed a potentially lethal level of carbon monoxide in the caravan shortly after the grim discovery.

Mark Pratten, crew manager in prevention with Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service, said: “Carbon monoxide was at an extremely high level; a significant dose such as this would have been fatal.

“The investigation is continuing, but it would appear that the people inside the home would have slipped into unconsciousness within a few minutes (of the leak).

“They would then go into a comatose state very quickly.”

He said the Cooks would have died “very swiftly” after falling unconscious.

Flowers still marked the scene of the tragedy yesterday, with neighbours at the quiet caravan parkpaying their respects.

One message read: “Why did this happen to lovely people like you?” Another said: “May you all rest in peace together.”

Neighbour Sue Issacs, 58, said: “Everyone here is in total shock. You never think that something like this would happen on your own doorstep.

“John, Audrey and Maureen were lovely people. It’s so upsetting to think that three members of the same family have been wiped out in one go.”

The alarm was raised at around 1pm on Saturday after the family failed to respond to knocks on the door. The Cooks’ family dog, a five-year-old Jack Russell called Jannie, also died.

The deaths comes less than a fortnight after an elderly woman died of suspected carbon monoxide poisoning at her home in nearby St Ives.