News, views and top stories in your inbox. Don't miss our must-read newsletter Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

An overheating iPhone battery led to a fire which resulted in the death of a man, an inquest heard.

Marek Kruger, 53, died from smoke inhalation on Sunday, August 9, 2015 .

An inquest into his death was conducted at Reading town hall on Wednesday, February 3, by assistant coroner for Berkshire Ravi Sidhu.

Mr Kruger, who had suffered from a brain tumour two years prior to his death, was primarily bedbound as he had lost the feeling down the left side of his body.

He would have his mobile phone by his side in bed - an electric one - along with his wallet as he used to do online shopping.

He would also charge his phone (an iPhone 5) from his bed, and had to use an extension lead to make the phone more accessible when he was lying down.

Mr Kruger's wife Iryna had a statement read out on her behalf in court and she explained how her husband had been in an accident and was reliant on an electronic bed and carers.

Read more:

"He had a brain tumour and lost a lot of weight and was in huge pain," the court heard.

"He had lost the feeling on the left side of his body."

(Image: Getty)

She said how Mr Kruger had been taking paracetamol and ibuprofen.

In the days leading up to his death, the court heard how Mr Kruger had asked to be prescribed morphine in the event of extreme pain, reports Get Reading.

A toxicology report revealed there was no alcohol traced in his blood system, although there were traces of morphine.

Pathologist Dr Fawaz Musa said in a report which the court heard that Mr Kruger's body was subjected to 64 per cent burns, which included first degree burns to his face and upper chest, while there was soot found in his larynx and trachea.

Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service employed Bureau Veritas Laboratories as part of the investigation into the fire, for whom Jonathan Fuguet was present at the inquest.

Read more:

He confirmed how the overheating of the iPhone battery had caused the fire and as the phone was on the bed covers, the heat was unable to circulate freely.

"It is like putting it into a fire but much slower," said Mr Fuguet.

In recording a narrative verdict, Mr Sidhu said: "The main cause of Mr Sidhu's death was smoke inhalation.

"He would not have known much about what was going on around him.

"He had been overcome by the effects of smoke from a fire caused by the battery of the phone which had been covered by bed coverings."