A sportswoman who was a cherished member of her local clubs has died days after a devastating bedroom fire engulfed her home in Paddock Wood. Laura Edwards, 53, was a dedicated player of darts and bowls and was remembered for her "cheerful spirit." She passed away on May 13 at Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford, Essex, four days after the blaze.
The fire broke out around 12:40 a.m. on May 9 in the bedroom she and her late husband had previously shared. The room had since been used for hoarding and storage, according to an inquest hearing. The intense fire destroyed the bedroom and the left side of the detached property, prompting neighbors to make multiple calls to emergency services.
Firefighters arrived approximately 15 minutes after the first calls and were able to rescue Laura's father from the property. However, Laura remained trapped inside. She suffered a cardiac arrest due to severe smoke inhalation and sustained third-degree burns.
An investigation into the fire's origin could not determine the exact cause due to the extensive damage. Fire service investigator Paul Wood stated two possibilities could not be ruled out: a discarded cigarette butt, as both Laura and her father were smokers and cigarette debris was found at the property, or the deliberate ignition of a combustible substance.
Laura Edwards, originally from South Africa, worked as a personal assistant and in the club shop for Maidstone United. She was a vice-captain at Paddock Wood Bowls Club and a member of the Foresters Arms Ladies darts team. Tributes poured in from friends and fellow club members, who described her as a "rock" and a "huge part" of the bowls club. Her darts league colleagues remembered her "self–encouragement" and her energy on match nights. Her cause of death was recorded as hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy and severe smoke inhalation injury, along with third-degree burns. The coroner recorded a conclusion of accident and offered condolences to her family and friends.