Firework death 'was murder'

Published on Saturday 7 November 2009 19:02

POLICE are treating the death of a woman in a house fire sparked by a firework as murder, and warned the culprits they would be caught.

Mary Fox, 59, became trapped in the house in Carpenter Court, Bodmin, Cornwall, on Thursday, after pushing her son to safety from an upstairs window. The 17-year-old, Raum, was taken to Treliske Hospital, where he was treated for smoke inhalation.

Devon and Cornwall Police said yesterday that a firework was found behind the front door and it had been pushed through the letterbox. Officers leading the investigation said they would be looking at concerns that Raum was being bullied at school.

Floral tributes were left outside the house as neighbours came to terms with what had happened. It is thought that Mrs Fox, who also has four grown-up daughters, could have been trying to rescue her cats before being overcome by smoke and the heat.

Kerry Ollerenshaw, 36, said: "Mary was a little, polite, nice old lady that I would say hello to.

People are saying her son had learning difficulties; he was constantly with his mum.

"Everyone is shocked but this isn't a bad estate. It is no worse than any other estate anywhere else."

Neighbour Doreen Rowe, 59, said: "There were loads of kids on the street armed with fireworks.

"She was not the only one targeted, because my next-door neighbour had one thrown at her house too."

Brett Millington, 17, said Raum had recently moved from Bodmin College to St Austell College because of bullying. He added: "He was badly bullied. It wasn't all physical, but a lot of psychological abuse he suffered.

"When he was at Bodmin, his mum would walk him to school every day because the bullying was so bad."

But after a meeting last night between representatives of the local authority and health representatives, Superintendent Martin Orpe said: "Initial inquiries have revealed that there are no mental health issues in relation to either the deceased, Mary Fox, or her son Raum.

"However it is fair to say that Mary could have been regarded as eccentric.

"To suggest that earlier press reports regarding the systematic intimidation or bullying of either of them was a cause of this incident is purely speculation and is unfounded at this time."