The name of an elderly woman who died in a fire which destroyed her home has been released, as the inquest into the circumstances surrounding her death opened this morning (Friday, March 22). 

Margaret Ann Cooper, 79, died in a blaze at her home in Trelech Road, Meidrim on February 9 this year.

Coroner’s officer Malcolm Thompson told the hearing that police had received a call from the fire service at 12.40am on Friday, February 9, saying that the property was ablaze, and the occupant was believed to be inside.

He said that the fire was unable to be extinguished until the following day. The building had been completely destroyed by the fire and the roof and the second floor had collapsed.

For safety reasons the building had to be allowed to cool.

On February 21 at 7.30pm, police recovered the body of a woman from the living room of the property.

PC Thompson said that Mrs Cooper had lived alone following the death of her husband some years earlier.

Her car was parked outside the property and APN tracking had shown it to be active in the surrounding area on February 8.

Mrs Cooper was the only person insured to drive the vehicle.

He said that on the balance of probabilities, the woman recovered from the house fire was Mrs Cooper.

A post-mortem had given the cause of death as severe burn injuries due to a house fire.

PC Thompson said that a detailed investigation into the cause of the fire was ongoing.

Senior coroner, Paul Bennett, adjourned the inquest until these investigations conclude.