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10-Year-Old Awake When RV Fire Began, Inquest Hears — Father and Daughter Killed

Madison E. Goldberg|People
05:35 PM, 12/10/2025
10-Year-Old Awake When RV Fire Began, Inquest Hears — Father and Daughter Killed
Lincolnshire PoliceEsme Baker

An inquest opened Dec. 9 heard that 10-year-old Esme Baker was awake when a fire started in an RV at Golden Beach Holiday Park, Skegness. Both Esme and her father, Lee Baker, were identified by dental records and died of smoke inhalation. Toxicology found Lee Baker’s blood alcohol at 172 mg/100 ml, above the U.K. limit of 80 mg. Investigators say the fire likely began at the rear of the caravan; a discarded cigarette or a malfunctioning device are possible sources, but heavy fire damage has made a definitive cause difficult to establish.

An inquest opened on Dec. 9 has revealed that a 10-year-old girl was awake when an RV fire that killed her and her father began, the coroner told the court.

Coroner Lindsey Tasker opened separate inquests into the deaths of Lee Baker, 48, and his daughter Esme Baker, 10, at the Myles Cross Centre in Lincolnshire, according to local reports. Tasker emphasized that, although the hearings were opened together, each inquest will reach its own conclusion.

Authorities identified both victims using dental records. A toxicology report by Dr. Steven Morley found Lee Baker’s blood alcohol concentration to be 172 mg per 100 ml, more than double the U.K. legal driving limit of 80 mg per 100 ml.

Post-mortem examinations carried out separately by Dr. Michael Biggs concluded that both father and daughter died from smoke inhalation. Tasker told the court that Esme "was awake and breathing while exposed to a fire environment" but would have been "rapidly overcome" by the conditions.

"Though the inquests are being held together, they are both separate inquests and each will have its own conclusion," — Coroner Lindsey Tasker.

Investigators say the blaze likely started at the rear of the caravan, but a definitive ignition source could not be determined because much of the RV was destroyed by the fire. Fire investigators have suggested that an unattended cigarette or a malfunctioning phone or tablet are possible causes, but intense heat consumed interior contents and evidence.

Simon Cartwright, fire investigation officer for Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue, noted: "There was no evidence of smoking materials found inside or outside the caravan; however, this could be due to the intensity of the fire."

The emergency services were called to Golden Beach Holiday Park in Skegness at 03:53 a.m. on April 5. The inquest will continue to examine available evidence and expert testimony as it seeks to determine how the fatal blaze began.

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