: LH Philip Brookes of the Royal Navy Reserve
THE DEATH of a former Royal Navy serviceman in a boat fire was accidental, an inquest has found.
LH Philip Brookes of the Royal Navy Reserve was living onboard his boat in Sharpness Marina in May of this year when it caught fire.
The inquest found that as the fire took hold, Mr Brookes was aboard, asleep after a heavy drinking session with a friend.
He had fitted a new engine that day but it was faulty and the fire is thought to have been due to a petrol leak.
The boat, which was in the marina area of the dock, was completely destroyed by the blaze, and took three crews an hour and a half to extinguish on Wednesday, May 23, just after 12.30am.
The inquest recorded a conclusion of accidental death.
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