Death of New Malden man found on fire in the street "could not have been foreseen by authorities"

The death of a homeless man who collapsed on fire in a New Malden street “could not have been foreseen” by authorities, an investigation has found.

Colin Edwards, 51, originally from Surbiton, was found on fire outside Clear House in Kingston Road having run into the street after his cigarette set fire to his sleeping bag on March 6, 2015. He had been sleeping in a nearby car park. Mr Edwards died of his injuries three days later at a specialist burns unit in Broomfield Hospital in Essex.

Kingston Council and South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust launched a joint investigation into his death the following month after friends claimed he had been “let down” by authorities. Mr Edwards had been known to St Peter’s Church in Norbiton and had stayed at the YMCA in Victoria Road, Surbiton.

Tributes to Mr Edwards have flowed from friends and family both at the time of his death and since the findings of an inquest in December, which found his death to be “accidental”.

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