A fire which killed a pensioner at his Cumbrian care home was likely to have been started as a result of his smoking habits, an inquest heard.

Gordon Frederick Tallentire - known as Fred - died at Penrith's Lonsdale Court on November 12 last year.

An explosion tore through the building, leaving a gaping hole on one side and many residents homeless.

Area coroner Kally Cheema heard that Mr Tallentire, who was blind from birth, "chain smoked" from a pipe in his flat at the assisted living accommodation, off Pategill Road.

At an inquest into his death yesterday, Miss Cheema was told that concerns had been raised about Mr Tallentire's smoking habits - believing they were hazardous.

He had been given a fire-retardant blanket just weeks before the blaze occurred.

The inquest heard that the subsequent explosion was likely to have been caused when paramedics tried to enter the flat, causing oxygen to flow into the room.

A statement provided to Miss Cheema by one of Mr Tallentire's brothers, Brian Tallentire, said that he moved to Lonsdale Court in 2005.

He had previously lived in the town with his brother and mother, who died in 2003 and 2004.

Miss Cheema was told that Brian Tallentire and his brother Keith Tallentire had very little contact with Fred, other than a phone call at Christmas.

Shirley Eves, a care home assistant at Lonsdale Court, and senior care worker Andrea Banks, were both at work on the morning of Mr Tallentire's death.

In a statement, Miss Eves said that Mr Tallentire "chain smoked" from a pipe.

Asked by Miss Cheema what she meant, she replied, "Every time I went in he was in his chair smoking his pipe."

Mrs Banks said that concerns had been raised by staff at Lonsdale Court after noticing marks on Mr Tallentire's chair, which were caused by his smoking.

She told Miss Cheema: "Management contacted them [the fire brigade] because they were concerned about the scorch marks on the chair."

Both Miss Eves and Mrs Banks were called to Mr Tallentire's room on the morning of November 12 after an internal smoke alarm was raised, where they discovered the blaze.

Statements were also provided by Douglas Jones, Thomas Doherty and Robert Dixon, who live close to Lonsdale Court and rushed to the scene after spotting the fire.

Giving evidence, William Richardson, station manager for Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service, said Mr Tallentire owned a large collection of CDs and vinyl records, which were close to his chair and are combustible materials.

He said: "He kept his pipe, lighter and lighter fuel within arm's reach.

"There were a large amount of CDs and vinyls adjacent to where the fire started.

"There had been a previous incident where he had set fire to his remote control."

Mr Richardson added: "Both care workers said Mr Tallentire used a canister to refill the lighter. There were a number of fluid cans in the flat that had exploded.

"This is what would have caused the popping sound heard by neighbours."

Regarding the explosion, which led to the collapse of the flat above Mr Tallentire's, Mr Richardson said a "backdraft" was caused by paramedics when they opened the door.

"This is when air got into the flat and caused an explosion," he said.

"The fire had used up all the oxygen. The room was only four metres by four metres and the windows were closed.

"The oxygen reacted with the combustion in the air, causing the explosion."

In reaching a conclusion of accidental death, Miss Cheema said Mr Tallentire's death was caused by thermal injuries with fire smoke inhalation.