Brit couple died from carbon monoxide poisoning after Egypt hotel room next to them sprayed for bed bugs, inquest finds
A BRIT couple died from carbon monoxide poisoning after the Egypt hotel room next to theirs was fumigated for bed bugs, a coroner has ruled.
John, 69, and Susan Cooper, 63, were on a dream holiday at the Steigenberger Aqua Magic Hotel in Hurghada when the horror unfolded.
On the eighth day of the family trip, the room next to theirs was fumigated with pesticide, known as Lambada, for a bed bug infestation.
The room was sealed off with masking tape around the adjoining door, an inquest heard.
Dr James Adeley, senior coroner for Lancashire, today ruled the deaths were caused by carbon monoxide poisoning as a result of inhaling the vapour from spraying the pesticide.
He said the spraying had created sufficient vapour to pass under the adjoining door and poison the couple.
The court was told Lambda is sometimes diluted with another substance, dichloromethane, which causes the body to metabolise or ingest carbon monoxide.
On August 20, 2018, the couple had enjoyed dinner with their family in the hotel restaurant before heading back to bed.
Their 12-year-old daughter had been staying with the pair that night but John had phoned to get her picked up as he was feeling unwell.
They were found seriously ill the following day by their daughter Kelly Ormerod when they failed to come down for breakfast.
Describing the scene, she said: “He just literally slumped and sat on the corner of the bed and said: ‘I’m really not well’.”
The civil servant said her mum was in bed, “groaning”, with vomit in her hair and around the room, where she noticed a strange “heavy” smell.
Two doctors were scrambled but they went into “panic mode” as her dad’s health rapidly deteroriated.
Kelly tearfully told how his eyes had a “glazed, staring look” and he was struggling to breathe.
Tragically, building firm owner John was declared dead at the scene, while his wife was taken “super-agitated” and delirious to a clinic.
She sadly couldn’t be saved and died a few hours later in hospital.
Both were returned to the UK in sealed, zinc-lined coffins, the inquest heard.
In 2018, Egypt’s chief prosecutor found John had suffered acute intestinal dysentery caused by E.coli.
He ruled Thomas Cook worker Susan had suffered a complication linked to infection, also likely to have been caused by E.coli.
But the inquest was told the room had a “yeasty smell” and it emerged the next-door room had been fumigated.
A report pointed to possible exposure to an “infectious biological agent or toxic chemicals”.
Blackburn Coroner’s Court was told the report also suggested neither carbon monoxide poisoning or food poisoning caused the couple’s deaths.
Speaking after the verdict today, Kelly said: “After more than five years of waiting, we’ve finally been given some closure around the deaths of mum and dad.
“Our family still struggle to comprehend what we went through that day and feel like it should never have happened.
“The last few years have been the most traumatic time for all of us.
“Having to relive everything at the inquest has been harrowing but it was something we had to do for mum and dad.
“We’d do anything to have them back in our lives but we take some small comfort from at least having the answers we deserve.”