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From the Kentish Gazette, Friday 30 January, 1987. Price 25p.
By Tricia Jamieson and John Deal.
FAMILY IN GAS FUMES MYSTERY.
A CANTERBURY pub landlord, his wife and young daughter were rushed to
hospital early yesterday (Thursday) after being overcome by gas fumes at
the "Man of Kent" in Wincheap.
Licensee Mr Mavin Wilkinson, aged 50, was found unconscious in a
first-floor lounge and his wife, Jacqueline, had collapsed on the
stairs.
Yesterday, Mr Wilkinson was in Kent and Canterbury Hospital's
intensive care unit where he was “coming round slowly.”
Mrs Wilkinson (38) and their daughter Jermain (six) were also
detained in hospital and their conditions yesterday were “satisfactory.”
All three were reported to be suffering from carbon monoxide
poisoning.
Gas board officials are carrying out an investigation into the cause
of the fumes.
The alarm was raised shortly after midnight by Mrs Wilkinson, who
managed to call an ambulance before collapsing.
She was found on the stairs by student Julia Thomas, who lives on the
top floor of the pub with three fellow students from Christ Church
College. None were affected by the fumes.
Complained.
Julia had heard a bump and Mrs Wilkinson calling for help.
Mr Wilkinson was found unconscious in the lounge — where there is a
gas fire — and Jermain was in her bedroom.
Firemen, alerted by ambulancemen, turned off the gas supply and
opened the windows.
Over the past couple of weeks the Wilkinsons had complained of severe
headaches and Mrs Wilkinson had been to hospital.
A Segas spokesman said it was too early to establish a cause for the
fumes, but added: “It seems to be through faulty burning.
“There is no question of this being caused by a leak of household gas
as that is not poisonous.
“We are looking at the gas appliances on the property and continuing
our investigations."
The Wilkinsons have been at the "Man of Kent" for four years and were
due to leave in about two weeks.
Last year Mr Wilkinson and his wife refurbished the pub, which is a
Whitbread Fremlins house, at their own expense.
Brewery tenant and trade director Mr Frank Johnson said: “We are very
sorry that our tenant and his family should have been injured.
“We have asked the gas board to check all installations and all the
equipment at the pub.” |
