Skegness caravan fire deaths of dad and daughter inquest opens

A father and his daughter who died in a fire at a Lincolnshire caravan park were killed by smoke inhalation, an inquest heard.

Lee Baker, 48, and daughter Esme Baker, 10, from Retford, Nottinghamshire, died at Golden Beach Holiday Park, in Ingoldmells, near Skegness, on 5 April.

In a tribute, their family said last month they had been “excited to be spending the first weekend of the holidays together” .

The inquests into their deaths were opened at Lincolnshire Coroner’s Court by coroner Paul Smith and adjourned until 5 October.

Mr Smith confirmed post-mortem examinations had been carried out on 11 April and the medical cause of both deaths were “inhalation of the products of combustion”.

Mr Baker had worked as a self-employed plasterer and was originally from Doncaster but had been living in Retford, the coroner noted.

Following an investigation into the blaze, Lincolnshire Police said the fire was “accidental”.