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| Baby death highlights fault risk | |
| (about 10 hours later) | |
| A fault with a thermostat in a hot water system that caused a baby to be scalded to death could affect up to 3.5 million homes, an inquest has heard. | A fault with a thermostat in a hot water system that caused a baby to be scalded to death could affect up to 3.5 million homes, an inquest has heard. |
| Ten-month-old Rhianna Hardie was killed when boiling water cascaded over her cot at her council home in Taunton. | Ten-month-old Rhianna Hardie was killed when boiling water cascaded over her cot at her council home in Taunton. |
| Coroner Michael Rose said the problem with the ageing thermostat which allowed hot water to flood the cold water tank could affect other homes. | |
| "This is important...it could affect as many as 3.5 million houses," he said. | |
| He went on to say that there had only been one other fatality involving an immersion heater - in Penwith, Penzance in 2002. | He went on to say that there had only been one other fatality involving an immersion heater - in Penwith, Penzance in 2002. |
| Matthew Hardie and his partner, Charlie Haworth, both 22, were spending their first night in the house in Wellington Road with their two children when the accident happened on 19 November 2006. | Matthew Hardie and his partner, Charlie Haworth, both 22, were spending their first night in the house in Wellington Road with their two children when the accident happened on 19 November 2006. |
| We knew immediately that she was badly injured Matthew Hardie | We knew immediately that she was badly injured Matthew Hardie |
| Both Rhianna and her two-year-old sister, Emily, were put to bed in the room below the attic where the system was kept. | |
| The coroner said: "There's no dispute that the death was a direct consequence of a problem that occurred when the thermostat in the immersion heater failed. | The coroner said: "There's no dispute that the death was a direct consequence of a problem that occurred when the thermostat in the immersion heater failed. |
| "Boiling water overwhelmed the cold water tank which split and cascaded onto Rhianna who was asleep in the room below with her sister." | "Boiling water overwhelmed the cold water tank which split and cascaded onto Rhianna who was asleep in the room below with her sister." |
| Rhianna was taken to Musgrove Park Hospital for treatment but died three weeks later at Bristol Children's Hospital. | Rhianna was taken to Musgrove Park Hospital for treatment but died three weeks later at Bristol Children's Hospital. |
| 'Thick steam' | |
| Her father said: "I awoke at around 2.30am although I didn't know then that that was the time. I heard a loud bashing bang and then heard Rhianna crying. | Her father said: "I awoke at around 2.30am although I didn't know then that that was the time. I heard a loud bashing bang and then heard Rhianna crying. |
| "I ran upstairs. Luckily I was dressed. Charlie followed me. There was a load of water pouring through the ceiling and thick steam. She was very hot - soaked. | "I ran upstairs. Luckily I was dressed. Charlie followed me. There was a load of water pouring through the ceiling and thick steam. She was very hot - soaked. |
| "It looked horrific. We knew immediately that she was badly injured." | "It looked horrific. We knew immediately that she was badly injured." |
| John Williams, chief housing officer for Taunton Deane Borough Council, said that safety inspectors were not expected to examine attics of houses - where the immersion tank was - "because they don't have ladders". | John Williams, chief housing officer for Taunton Deane Borough Council, said that safety inspectors were not expected to examine attics of houses - where the immersion tank was - "because they don't have ladders". |
| "It's never been considered necessary to do something like that because we've never had an incident like this before," he said. | "It's never been considered necessary to do something like that because we've never had an incident like this before," he said. |
| He agreed with the parents' barrister, Dr Michael Powers QC, that the safety checks in place were essentially "reactive". | He agreed with the parents' barrister, Dr Michael Powers QC, that the safety checks in place were essentially "reactive". |
| 'No requirement' | |
| Bernard Thorogood, representing the local authority, explained that British Standards safety checks were not required on thermostats. | Bernard Thorogood, representing the local authority, explained that British Standards safety checks were not required on thermostats. |
| Building supervisor Richard Eastman said that the type of thermostat in the couple's house was an old design that would carry on heating up once it had failed. | |
| Modern models automatically cut out. There was no requirement on councils to fit new devices on a "retrospective" basis, he said. | |
| Avon and Somerset Police, the Health and Safety Executive and Taunton Deane Borough Council launched investigations following the accident. | |
| The hearing continues. | The hearing continues. |