Coroner links teen's death to unsafe sofa and lack of regulation

Thursday 18 September 2025 · 6 outlets · 6 reports · updated Thu 18 Sep 2025, 8:02am

In this story Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, Mary-Anne Borrowdale

Coroner Mary-Anne Borrowdale found that 16-year-old Lizzy Marvin likely would have survived a May 2024 house fire at Burnham Military Camp if foam furniture were regulated. The blaze, which was fuelled by a foam-filled sofa bed, caused Marvin to inhale toxic fumes. The coroner criticised the government's failure to act on furniture safety.

How they headlined it

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1. NZ HeraldThu 18 Sep 2025, 5:00am

   Coroner links unsafe sofa and ‘deplorable’ MBIE inaction to Canterbury teen Lizzy Marvin’s death in house fire (opens in new tab)

2. StuffThu 18 Sep 2025, 5:00am

   Teen would ‘likely’ still be alive if common sofa bed wasn’t sold (opens in new tab)

3. The PressThu 18 Sep 2025, 5:00am

   Coroner slams ‘deplorable’ lack of sofa fire rules after teen’s death (opens in new tab)

4. RNZThu 18 Sep 2025, 5:01am

   Lack of foam furniture rules likely led to teenager Lizzy Marvin's death in blaze, coroner rules (opens in new tab)

5. 1News via RNZThu 18 Sep 2025, 7:35am

   Call for regulation of foam-filled furniture after teen's death in blaze (opens in new tab)

6. Otago Daily TimesThu 18 Sep 2025, 8:02am

   Coroner blasts govt over teen's death in sofa fire (opens in new tab)