Bristol graduate died due to carbon monoxide leak, says inquest

She had moved to China to be a teacher


An inquest into the death of Bristol graduate Francesca Dingley has found her death last February was caused by carbon monoxide poisoning.

Francesca had only moved to a new flat in China a few days beforehand, where she was teaching English to students in Chengdu.

She’d been living in the flat for just four days when she died.

 

The inquest heard that carbon monoxide leaked into the apartment, killing her and leaving her flatmate in a critical condition.

It later emerged that the boiler used for the flat was dangerous and had not been tested.

Her father has labelled the tragedy “wholly avoidable”.

Speaking to The Telegraph he said: “Her life was tragically cut short by carbon monoxide poisoning, as the result of an incorrectly installed gas appliance. A simple carbon monoxide detector, costing less than £10, could have prevented this.

“As parents, we urge you to insist that your child does not travel abroad without one of these detectors.

“Her mother, Chrissy, and I took her to Heathrow and we said our goodbyes not knowing that we would never see her again.”

Mark Dingley also said he will be pursuing Francesca’s landlord through the courts.

He has already reached a settlement with her employer EF China and they are helping him pursue the landlord through the courts.