Inquest held for popular young man from Lewes after ‘tragic’ death

There was an outpouring of love for 29-year-old Joseph Arnold following his tragic death on January 27 this year.

His parents David and Barbara Arnold told the Express they realised just how well-liked their youngest son was in the days afterwards.

“At a time of such a terrible tragedy, it has given us enormous comfort,” said David, “We have been overwhelmed at the outpouring of love.”

Joseph, who worked in environmental health at Lewes council, had many friends and loved playing football.

He was successfully treated for cancer in 2019, but suffered from bipolar disorder, the inquest at Eastbourne Town Hall heard.

The alarm was raised by a neighbour who noticed smoke swirling in her home. Firefighters broke down the door and discovered Joseph unconscious in his flat in Malling Place while a fire raged in his bathroom.

Emergency services tried to revive him and he was rushed to hospital in Brighton.

Sadly, he died there at 5pm that day. His family were at his bedside.

Joseph’s sister Helen Mouland said the family ‘found solace’ when around a dozen of his friends came to visit him in hospital.

His cause of death was due to smoke inhalation, the inquest heard.

A serious incident report was launched by mental health teams following his death.

However, evidence from a fire investigation pointed against suicide, coroner Alan Craze said.

It found the blaze had been started by a cigarette which had not been put out.

“This is an accidental death, not a fire that was started deliberately,” he said, “This is a dreadful tragedy.”

He reached a conclusion of accidental death.

Speaking after the inquest, Joseph’s father David – who is a history columnist for the Express – said: “Our Joe had suffered with mental ill-health for a number of years but held down a full-time job and had a wide circle of friends plus was a member of a big extended family.

“Around 300 people came to pay their respects his funeral in late February and it was heartwarming to hear so many tributes paid to his memory.

“Most moving were stories from a number of friends that Joe had positively helped cope with their own mental health problems.

“We were also most touched when around £7,000 was donated in Joe’s name to the charity MIND.

“Our Joe was bipolar and, at the time of his death, was in very low spirits and due to have help with clarifying his ongoing medication needs.

“He had recently undergone chemotherapy and successfully fought off cancer so for him to lose his life in such tragic circumstances was even more heartbreaking.

“Joe’s many friends and his colleagues at Lewes District Council were immensely supportive to my wife Barbara and I and Joe’s elder brother, James, and his sister, Helen.

“Joe is remembered with a newly-planted tree beside Malling playing fields where he played football with Bridgeview as a youngster.

“There is also the wonderful gesture of a bench in memory of Joe in Lewes Grange Gardens.”

Lewes family pay tribute to popular son who tragically died in fire