A 49-year-old man from Warrington Road, Dagenham, was found dead in his room after apparently being electrocuted, an inquest has heard.
Momchil Rusev was discovered by his landlord lying on his back while clutching a partially exposed electrical wire, according to senior coroner Graeme Irvine, who formally opened an inquest into the death at East London Coroner’s Court in Walthamstow on Wednesday, April 9.
Emergency services, including paramedics and the London Fire Brigade, were called to the scene. Firefighters were required to ensure the area was safe before medical responders could proceed. Police also attended the address, but determined that no criminal activity was suspected and that Mr Rusev’s death appeared to be unexpected or unexplained.
Provisional Cause of Death: Electrocution
A post-mortem examination, conducted on April 3, determined Mr Rusev’s provisional cause of death to be congestive cardiac failure, resulting from cardiac arrhythmia, which was in turn caused by electrocution.
“It seems to me that on the basis of this information, Mr Rusev’s death could not be described as a natural causes death and accordingly, it is proper to consider the opening of an inquest,” said Mr Irvine.
Inquest to Examine Mental Health, Circumstances Around Exposure
The inquest will seek to determine how Mr Rusev came into contact with the exposed wire, whether there were any underlying mental health issues, and whether anything could have been done to prevent his death.
The coroner declared Mr Rusev’s family “interested persons”, giving them the legal right to view evidence and question witnesses during proceedings. He also requested a formal statement from the family, asking them to share general biographical information and insight into Mr Rusev’s mental health, as well as any concerns regarding the circumstances that led to his exposure to the live wire.
Mr Irvine ordered the disclosure of medical records, and reports from both the Metropolitan Police and London Ambulance Service to assist with the investigation.
Final Inquest Scheduled
The full inquest hearing into Mr Rusev’s death has been scheduled for October 2. It will consider whether lessons can be learned and whether any steps should be taken to prevent future similar fatalities.
Inquests are held in the public interest to investigate unnatural or unexplained deaths, particularly where there may be health and safety implications or questions about the adequacy of care and living conditions.
