House fire death "probably caused by cigarette"

An inquest has been told that a Netherton house fire death was probably caused by a cigarette.

42 year-old Gary Gooding died after a fire broke out at his Blackbrook Road home on December 1 last year.

The inquest, held at Black Country Coroners Court, heard that when firefighters found Mr Gooding lying on the sofa in the living room, he was in cardiac arrest.

Despite attempts to resuscitate him, he was declared dead at the scene. The coroner concluded that the death was accidental.