A mother of one spent her final moments recording a video message for her partner while trapped in a burning building, an inquest heard. Laura Foulis, 38, died on July 3 after a blaze engulfed a rural farm stable in Milnrow, Manchester.
Fire and police crews responded to the scene, where Foulis was found dead. Her body was identified by fingerprints. An inquest at Rochdale Coroner's Court heard that Foulis sent a video to her boyfriend while trapped in the inferno. The footage showed the interior of the stable, with bottles and containers ablaze. Foulis could be heard saying, "I am in a set of stables and cannot get out."
A neighbor stated that Foulis, who was passionate about horses, was living in a mobile home at the time of her death and was renovating a nearby barn, using the stables in the process.
The exact circumstances surrounding her death are not yet clear, and a full inquest will be held at a later date. Assistant Coroner Michael Salt stated that the circumstances of the death are not fully known but, based on current information, it is clearly an unnatural death requiring a full inquest.
Authorities arrested a man in his 40s on suspicion of murder following Foulis's death. He was released on bail pending an investigation but will face no further action, as police concluded no third party was involved.
Witnesses reported seeing large flames and black smoke billowing from the stables. Images from the aftermath showed the building completely destroyed.
Foulis's ex-partner, David Jacobs, with whom she shared a 16-year-old son, expressed devastation at her death, stating, "Words are lost on me at the moment. All I can say is Laura we love you and we miss you so much."
Friends remembered Foulis as having a "big heart" and credited her with inspiring their "passion for horses." Tributes online described her as "one of a kind" and a "kind soul."
A date for the full inquest has not yet been set.