KUALA LUMPUR: A 39-year-old woman in the United Kingdom died in an accident four months ago involving her ottoman-style bed due to a defect in the item.
A BBC report quoted the Durham and Darlington senior coroner Jeremy Chipperfield as saying that the victim, Helen Davey, died after she was trapped in between the bed's mattress platform and storage area.
An ottoman bed is a bed with gas-lift hydraulics that lifts up from its base to reveal storage space underneath.
The coroner report said that Davey had been leaning over the storage area of the bed when the mattress platform "unexpectedly came down" in the incident at her house in Seaham, Durham in northeast England on June 7.
Chipperfield said one of the bed's two gas-lift pistons was "defective" and he has urged the UK government to act upon the matter to prevent similar deaths in the future.
The BBC also quoted the UK's Department for Business and Trade (DBT) as saying that it would act to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
The inquest, which was conducted on Oct 4 had said that Davey's death was an accident.
In the coroner's report, Davey's neck was trapped against the upper surface of the side panel of the bed's base.
The report also said that Davey, who is from Hartlepool, died of "positional asphyxia."
The coroner, in a Prevention of Future Deaths (PFD) report, said the existence and use of gas piston bed mechanisms that fail "presents risk to life".
The report also said there was evidence showing "matters giving rise to concern" which were uncovered during the course of the inquest.
"In my opinion there is a risk that future deaths could occur unless action is taken,
"In the circumstances it is my statutory duty to report to you."
Chipperfield also said he has written to the business secretary and the UK's Office for Product Safety and Standards.
The DBT has been given until Dec 2 to respond to the coroner's report, unless the period is extended.
The DBT was asked to set out a timetable of "action taken or proposed to be taken".
The BBC then quoted a DBT spokesman as conveying its sympathies to Davey's family over what happened.
"This is a horrible tragedy and we'd like to express our sympathy to Helen's friends and family.
"We're carefully considering the coroner's report to understand the circumstances in this case and if there is anything we can do to prevent tragedies like this in the future we will respond fully before the deadline," it said.