1 00:00:05,920 --> 00:00:08,559 Speaker 1: Kyota. I'm Richard Martin in for Chelsea Daniels and This 2 00:00:08,640 --> 00:00:11,600 Speaker 1: is the Front Page, a daily podcast presented by the 3 00:00:11,600 --> 00:00:18,320 Speaker 1: New Zealand Herald. A coroner has issued a damning report 4 00:00:18,440 --> 00:00:22,079 Speaker 1: after the death of sixteen year old Canterbury teenager Lizzie Marvin, 5 00:00:22,600 --> 00:00:25,800 Speaker 1: saying she likely died because the government failed to act 6 00:00:25,880 --> 00:00:30,160 Speaker 1: on the dangers of foam filled furniture. Lizzie died after 7 00:00:30,240 --> 00:00:33,440 Speaker 1: toxic fumes filled her Burnham home when embers from a 8 00:00:33,479 --> 00:00:37,640 Speaker 1: fireplace set her family's sofa bed alight. The coroner says 9 00:00:37,680 --> 00:00:41,200 Speaker 1: the blaze spread with terrifying speed because of the foam inside, 10 00:00:41,520 --> 00:00:45,000 Speaker 1: a risk that Fire and Emergency has warned about for years. 11 00:00:45,479 --> 00:00:50,400 Speaker 1: Coroner Marianne Borrowdale has labeled the ministry's inaction deplorable and 12 00:00:50,479 --> 00:00:53,559 Speaker 1: says Lizzie's death could have been prevented after more than 13 00:00:53,600 --> 00:00:56,840 Speaker 1: a decade of warnings about foam filled furniture found in 14 00:00:56,880 --> 00:01:00,200 Speaker 1: about eighty percent of New Zealand homes. What will it 15 00:01:00,280 --> 00:01:03,960 Speaker 1: take for regulation to finally change? Today? On the Front Page, 16 00:01:04,000 --> 00:01:08,280 Speaker 1: Insid Herald, Senior Crime and Justice reporter Anna Lease joins 17 00:01:08,360 --> 00:01:15,880 Speaker 1: us to discuss the latest report, because, first off, Anna, 18 00:01:15,959 --> 00:01:19,240 Speaker 1: can you just take us through what happened to Lizzie Marvin. 19 00:01:19,800 --> 00:01:22,360 Speaker 2: So, yeah, Lizzie and her family were living at a 20 00:01:22,400 --> 00:01:24,640 Speaker 2: house in Burnham, which is just out of christ Church. 21 00:01:25,959 --> 00:01:27,320 Speaker 3: Everyone had gone to bed for the night. 22 00:01:27,400 --> 00:01:30,680 Speaker 2: Lizzie, her brother, and her family friends were in bedrooms upstairs, 23 00:01:30,800 --> 00:01:33,360 Speaker 2: and because the family friend was saying her mum was 24 00:01:33,400 --> 00:01:36,800 Speaker 2: sleeping in the lounge on a fold out sofa. She 25 00:01:36,880 --> 00:01:42,039 Speaker 2: purchased it not long before Bran knew quite expensive, so 26 00:01:42,080 --> 00:01:44,640 Speaker 2: it was folded out and she got up at two 27 00:01:44,680 --> 00:01:46,759 Speaker 2: am to sort of stoke the fire. It was getting 28 00:01:46,800 --> 00:01:49,600 Speaker 2: a bit cold, and some sparks sort of burst out 29 00:01:49,600 --> 00:01:54,280 Speaker 2: of the fire, landed on this couch and it just 30 00:01:54,360 --> 00:01:55,440 Speaker 2: went up in flames. 31 00:01:56,240 --> 00:01:58,760 Speaker 3: She described it as melting and folding in on itself. 32 00:01:58,960 --> 00:02:01,080 Speaker 3: So she ran from the house. 33 00:02:01,480 --> 00:02:04,280 Speaker 2: As she ran out, she saw Lizzie coming down the 34 00:02:04,280 --> 00:02:06,200 Speaker 2: stairs on the phone to one on one, so she 35 00:02:06,280 --> 00:02:09,079 Speaker 2: thought her daughter was behind her and got outside and 36 00:02:09,160 --> 00:02:12,040 Speaker 2: realized that Lizzie wasn't there. The two boys managed to 37 00:02:12,040 --> 00:02:14,400 Speaker 2: get out, one through a fire escape and the other 38 00:02:14,480 --> 00:02:17,360 Speaker 2: through a window, and they were all just frantically, you know, 39 00:02:17,520 --> 00:02:21,440 Speaker 2: screaming for Lizzie and trying to get emergency services. There 40 00:02:21,480 --> 00:02:26,560 Speaker 2: and basically by the time emergency service scot there, it 41 00:02:26,600 --> 00:02:28,520 Speaker 2: was far too hot for anyone to go in, and 42 00:02:28,639 --> 00:02:30,160 Speaker 2: Lizzie died in the house. 43 00:02:31,120 --> 00:02:33,600 Speaker 3: They think that she actually went back upstairs to save 44 00:02:33,600 --> 00:02:34,120 Speaker 3: her pets. 45 00:02:34,120 --> 00:02:37,280 Speaker 2: She was a big animal lover passionate about her pets, 46 00:02:37,280 --> 00:02:39,079 Speaker 2: and so they think that's why she went back into 47 00:02:39,120 --> 00:02:42,160 Speaker 2: the house, which was really really tragic. 48 00:02:42,360 --> 00:02:45,239 Speaker 1: And then there's also just that these toxic fumes that 49 00:02:45,280 --> 00:02:48,080 Speaker 1: are going around can make people do odd things like 50 00:02:48,120 --> 00:02:48,520 Speaker 1: that as well. 51 00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:50,959 Speaker 2: Right, one hundred percent, and this is the whole, the 52 00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:54,840 Speaker 2: whole Corner's report is based around that the filling of 53 00:02:54,880 --> 00:02:57,080 Speaker 2: this couch, you know, the material it was made of, 54 00:02:57,320 --> 00:03:01,480 Speaker 2: is so flammable that this family only had one or 55 00:03:01,480 --> 00:03:04,320 Speaker 2: two minutes to get out of the house. You know, 56 00:03:04,600 --> 00:03:07,840 Speaker 2: it speeds up the process. It means that the fire 57 00:03:07,919 --> 00:03:10,080 Speaker 2: spreads to other rooms much more quickly. 58 00:03:11,240 --> 00:03:11,440 Speaker 3: You know. 59 00:03:11,680 --> 00:03:14,960 Speaker 2: Information I've been reading today about fires say that you know, 60 00:03:15,040 --> 00:03:19,639 Speaker 2: before this material was introduced to New Zealand, furniture people had, 61 00:03:19,720 --> 00:03:22,000 Speaker 2: you know, thirty thirty minutes it would take for a 62 00:03:22,080 --> 00:03:24,600 Speaker 2: house to go up in flames like this, but that 63 00:03:24,600 --> 00:03:27,600 Speaker 2: that has been reduced by about ninety percent. 64 00:03:27,800 --> 00:03:31,239 Speaker 3: Now that this foam filling is in furniture. 65 00:03:30,800 --> 00:03:34,880 Speaker 2: And it's suspected that this, this foam furniture is an 66 00:03:34,920 --> 00:03:38,600 Speaker 2: eighty percent of New Zealand homes, which is you know, 67 00:03:38,960 --> 00:03:39,560 Speaker 2: a big deal. 68 00:03:40,120 --> 00:03:43,160 Speaker 1: And so the coroner's report that's come out, it's it's 69 00:03:43,320 --> 00:03:47,360 Speaker 1: a pretty damning report. What else is in there? 70 00:03:47,480 --> 00:03:50,400 Speaker 2: So the coroner has said, obviously people need to be 71 00:03:50,440 --> 00:03:53,200 Speaker 2: really careful first and foremost about how close furniture is 72 00:03:53,240 --> 00:03:56,560 Speaker 2: to fires. The couch when folded out was only about 73 00:03:56,560 --> 00:03:59,840 Speaker 2: sixty centimeters away, and obviously fire and all the other 74 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:02,320 Speaker 2: emergency services have the one meter rule. 75 00:04:02,480 --> 00:04:05,400 Speaker 3: But if the couch had. 76 00:04:05,200 --> 00:04:07,880 Speaker 2: Not been made from that material, it is likely Lizzie 77 00:04:07,880 --> 00:04:11,080 Speaker 2: would still be alive today. The coroner has said that 78 00:04:11,320 --> 00:04:15,840 Speaker 2: it is extremely dangerous. She's made a formal recommendation that 79 00:04:16,640 --> 00:04:18,800 Speaker 2: the government regulate. 80 00:04:18,920 --> 00:04:20,360 Speaker 3: This furniture filling. 81 00:04:20,400 --> 00:04:24,240 Speaker 2: I have safety safety advice and recommend that manufacturers don't 82 00:04:24,320 --> 00:04:28,200 Speaker 2: use it. That's been also raised by another coroner in 83 00:04:28,240 --> 00:04:32,520 Speaker 2: twenty ten after a similar death, and there have been 84 00:04:32,560 --> 00:04:36,000 Speaker 2: in twenty nineteen. In twenty twenty four, the government looked 85 00:04:36,040 --> 00:04:39,719 Speaker 2: at whether that should be done, and in the coroner's words, 86 00:04:39,760 --> 00:04:43,840 Speaker 2: they have consistently retreated from putting any mandates in place. 87 00:04:45,240 --> 00:04:49,200 Speaker 2: There is you know, advice and recommendations, but it's unbinding 88 00:04:50,279 --> 00:04:54,040 Speaker 2: and the coroner has said that that is absolutely deplorable 89 00:04:55,080 --> 00:04:59,840 Speaker 2: and that had the safety information been mandatory around this couch, 90 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:04,320 Speaker 2: this material when Lizzie's mum purchased the piece of furniture. 91 00:05:04,520 --> 00:05:06,039 Speaker 3: Things might have been very, very different. 92 00:05:06,880 --> 00:05:09,640 Speaker 2: You know. Lizzie's mum told me yesterday that had she known, 93 00:05:09,800 --> 00:05:12,040 Speaker 2: there's no way she would have bought that couch. 94 00:05:13,440 --> 00:05:14,839 Speaker 3: And so the coroner is calling. 95 00:05:14,600 --> 00:05:19,320 Speaker 2: On action the government, you know, MB is saying that 96 00:05:19,760 --> 00:05:23,240 Speaker 2: you've got to look at the cost of regulations and 97 00:05:22,880 --> 00:05:25,599 Speaker 2: the cost of doing it is higher than the benefits 98 00:05:25,640 --> 00:05:28,200 Speaker 2: the public will get. And the coroners hit back at that, saying, well, 99 00:05:28,200 --> 00:05:30,720 Speaker 2: how many people need to die? You're just going to 100 00:05:30,800 --> 00:05:33,000 Speaker 2: sit and wait until you get the right number of 101 00:05:33,040 --> 00:05:37,360 Speaker 2: deaths to make it worth the money. And she's just 102 00:05:37,400 --> 00:05:39,839 Speaker 2: said that's not good enough. Lizzie should still be here 103 00:05:39,839 --> 00:05:43,800 Speaker 2: today and she's not prepared to wait. So she has 104 00:05:43,960 --> 00:05:47,440 Speaker 2: called for MB to put those regulations in place urgently. 105 00:05:48,600 --> 00:05:52,240 Speaker 1: And it's not the first time that there's been called 106 00:05:52,279 --> 00:05:54,680 Speaker 1: for regulations like what has sparked it in the past. 107 00:05:56,200 --> 00:06:02,440 Speaker 3: In twenty ten, there was a man who died as well. 108 00:06:02,920 --> 00:06:05,880 Speaker 2: There was a furniture he was sleeping on and I 109 00:06:05,960 --> 00:06:08,760 Speaker 2: believe he had a cigarette that ignited that and he 110 00:06:09,000 --> 00:06:12,719 Speaker 2: died as well. And you know it's very fast igniting, 111 00:06:12,839 --> 00:06:16,880 Speaker 2: fast burning, fast moving fire and Coroner Tim Scott back 112 00:06:16,920 --> 00:06:21,039 Speaker 2: then called to regulation and no action was taken. Then 113 00:06:21,080 --> 00:06:24,719 Speaker 2: in twenty nineteen a policy statement was put together around 114 00:06:26,200 --> 00:06:30,520 Speaker 2: you know, what people should do, what manufacturers should do, 115 00:06:31,240 --> 00:06:36,760 Speaker 2: but again it fell short of regulating the industry. And 116 00:06:37,560 --> 00:06:41,000 Speaker 2: you know, Coroner Marian Borrodale this week has said that's 117 00:06:41,040 --> 00:06:43,839 Speaker 2: what she's calling deplorable, is that there have been calls 118 00:06:43,839 --> 00:06:46,360 Speaker 2: for action, there have been chances to take action, and 119 00:06:46,839 --> 00:06:50,800 Speaker 2: you know she's saying, what more do you need to 120 00:06:50,920 --> 00:06:54,680 Speaker 2: do this? And that's what and Marie, Lizzie's mum, has said, 121 00:06:54,760 --> 00:06:56,840 Speaker 2: is what more proof do you need? You know, how 122 00:06:56,839 --> 00:06:59,719 Speaker 2: many more people like Lizzie need to lose their lives 123 00:06:59,760 --> 00:07:03,200 Speaker 2: before or it's worth the government spending the money on 124 00:07:03,320 --> 00:07:06,120 Speaker 2: regulating this furniture, which as I said, is and can 125 00:07:06,160 --> 00:07:08,920 Speaker 2: be found in about eighty percent of New Zealand homes. 126 00:07:10,240 --> 00:07:14,440 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's a chilling statistic, Like is this a failure 127 00:07:14,560 --> 00:07:19,960 Speaker 1: of policymakers or of manufacturers or retailers. 128 00:07:20,200 --> 00:07:24,560 Speaker 2: What do you think manufacturers are gonna often use, you know, 129 00:07:25,120 --> 00:07:28,600 Speaker 2: cheaper fillings, make their products cheaper, that sort of thing. 130 00:07:29,320 --> 00:07:31,480 Speaker 2: The government has a chance to regulate and say, look, 131 00:07:31,520 --> 00:07:33,960 Speaker 2: you either can't use that, or if you do use it, 132 00:07:34,000 --> 00:07:36,320 Speaker 2: you must do X, y Z. That's not being done. 133 00:07:36,640 --> 00:07:40,280 Speaker 2: So there is some advice and recommendations, of course, but 134 00:07:41,680 --> 00:07:44,040 Speaker 2: that is not making a difference. It's you know, people 135 00:07:44,080 --> 00:07:46,560 Speaker 2: aren't there's no buy in or there's no pick up, 136 00:07:47,400 --> 00:07:50,320 Speaker 2: and so really the only way to get manufacturers to 137 00:07:50,360 --> 00:07:53,600 Speaker 2: follow the rules is by having rules. You know. It's 138 00:07:53,720 --> 00:07:56,760 Speaker 2: like saying, you know, it's not a good idea to 139 00:07:56,840 --> 00:07:59,320 Speaker 2: drive after you've been drinking beer, rather. 140 00:07:59,200 --> 00:08:01,800 Speaker 3: Than you know, it is illegal to or you must not. 141 00:08:02,160 --> 00:08:05,760 Speaker 2: It's you know, and if you look at appliances to 142 00:08:05,880 --> 00:08:08,720 Speaker 2: fridge as freezers, washing machines, they've all got safety advices, 143 00:08:08,880 --> 00:08:12,080 Speaker 2: regulations on how they operate and work, and what they've got. 144 00:08:11,920 --> 00:08:13,120 Speaker 3: To have to be sold. 145 00:08:14,480 --> 00:08:18,800 Speaker 2: And you know, the coroner is just cannot fathom why 146 00:08:19,360 --> 00:08:24,280 Speaker 2: this highly flammable, highly toxic foam filling doesn't have the 147 00:08:24,280 --> 00:08:29,360 Speaker 2: same you know, mandated safety advice and processes. 148 00:08:36,040 --> 00:08:39,240 Speaker 4: Yeah, the phone produces a normal amount of smoke very 149 00:08:39,320 --> 00:08:43,000 Speaker 4: very quickly. But that phone is also highly toxic. It 150 00:08:43,040 --> 00:08:48,040 Speaker 4: contains hydrogen cyanide, hygen fluoride, hydroen chloride gas, and so 151 00:08:48,240 --> 00:08:51,400 Speaker 4: if you stand up on that it obviously is very 152 00:08:51,440 --> 00:08:52,959 Speaker 4: toxic and you can be able to come. You can 153 00:08:52,960 --> 00:08:55,600 Speaker 4: now see that flame with just a few seconds into it. 154 00:08:56,480 --> 00:08:58,920 Speaker 4: We've now got actually flame with teaching across the ceiling 155 00:08:59,080 --> 00:09:01,400 Speaker 4: that's now peeking up items in that room. They will 156 00:09:01,400 --> 00:09:05,240 Speaker 4: start to combust. It will be penetrating beyond the room 157 00:09:05,280 --> 00:09:07,480 Speaker 4: of origin now and and start to go up into 158 00:09:07,559 --> 00:09:09,920 Speaker 4: another down the hallway, into other rooms of the house. 159 00:09:12,360 --> 00:09:16,000 Speaker 1: There was this time last year MB reviewed a product 160 00:09:16,160 --> 00:09:20,000 Speaker 1: safety policy statement highlighting the extreme flammability of this fine 161 00:09:20,000 --> 00:09:24,000 Speaker 1: field furniture that came out in twenty nineteen. Why did 162 00:09:24,000 --> 00:09:27,079 Speaker 1: it take them five years to review the policy statement. 163 00:09:27,760 --> 00:09:31,400 Speaker 2: I'm not sure what the timing decision was around that, 164 00:09:31,559 --> 00:09:35,400 Speaker 2: but when they looked at it last year, they've left 165 00:09:35,440 --> 00:09:38,520 Speaker 2: it for another five years, so that won't be reviewed again. 166 00:09:39,559 --> 00:09:42,360 Speaker 2: They're happy in twenty twenty four, they were happy with 167 00:09:42,440 --> 00:09:46,400 Speaker 2: how things stood. They felt it was adequate, and obviously 168 00:09:46,440 --> 00:09:50,600 Speaker 2: that was done after Lizzie died, so that won't be 169 00:09:50,600 --> 00:09:51,120 Speaker 2: looked at for. 170 00:09:51,040 --> 00:09:53,080 Speaker 3: Another five years. And the coroner has just said not 171 00:09:53,160 --> 00:09:53,680 Speaker 3: good enough. 172 00:09:53,720 --> 00:09:57,400 Speaker 2: It needs to be urgently addressed because you know, Lizzie's 173 00:09:57,440 --> 00:10:00,480 Speaker 2: case has shown us that people can and then will 174 00:10:00,559 --> 00:10:07,360 Speaker 2: die if the dangers of this product aren't addressed shared. 175 00:10:08,480 --> 00:10:10,760 Speaker 2: You know, you can go into I think her mum 176 00:10:10,960 --> 00:10:13,880 Speaker 2: bought this couch and I think it was just under 177 00:10:13,920 --> 00:10:17,960 Speaker 2: three thousand dollars she paid for it. She you know, 178 00:10:17,960 --> 00:10:20,400 Speaker 2: it was a good couch and it was what she 179 00:10:20,480 --> 00:10:22,000 Speaker 2: needed and what she wanted for the home. And she 180 00:10:22,080 --> 00:10:25,239 Speaker 2: had no idea that had this you know, highly flammable 181 00:10:27,360 --> 00:10:30,319 Speaker 2: you know material, And why would she because nobody has 182 00:10:30,360 --> 00:10:33,760 Speaker 2: to tell her that. We all know that furniture is flammable. 183 00:10:34,559 --> 00:10:38,600 Speaker 2: But would we buy the couch if we knew that 184 00:10:39,400 --> 00:10:42,800 Speaker 2: the material in the couch would reduce our escape time 185 00:10:42,880 --> 00:10:45,000 Speaker 2: from a house fire by ninety percent? 186 00:10:46,720 --> 00:10:50,760 Speaker 1: Yeah? And is there any kind of warning on these products? 187 00:10:51,920 --> 00:10:53,880 Speaker 3: I think you can look up from memory. 188 00:10:53,920 --> 00:10:57,680 Speaker 2: You can with this couch, there is the standard, the 189 00:10:57,720 --> 00:11:01,400 Speaker 2: safety advice I think with all niture there is on 190 00:11:01,600 --> 00:11:04,000 Speaker 2: most websites, you can look up the safety advice. 191 00:11:03,679 --> 00:11:05,199 Speaker 3: For the material. 192 00:11:06,920 --> 00:11:10,719 Speaker 2: You know, but it's how much safety advice does a 193 00:11:10,840 --> 00:11:15,120 Speaker 2: manufacturer have to give because there's only these guidelines and 194 00:11:15,200 --> 00:11:18,079 Speaker 2: as the coroner is said there, they're non binding and 195 00:11:18,679 --> 00:11:21,120 Speaker 2: there's not been a lot of pack up on it. 196 00:11:21,440 --> 00:11:23,920 Speaker 2: You know, you've got to buy a I don't know, 197 00:11:23,960 --> 00:11:27,040 Speaker 2: you you got to buy an. 198 00:11:25,960 --> 00:11:27,320 Speaker 3: Oven or an air fryer. 199 00:11:27,360 --> 00:11:30,440 Speaker 2: And you know that it's hot, it's going to get 200 00:11:30,480 --> 00:11:34,120 Speaker 2: to X amount of temperature. The door might be this hot, 201 00:11:34,160 --> 00:11:38,440 Speaker 2: don't touch this bit. But these foam filled couches don't 202 00:11:38,440 --> 00:11:42,200 Speaker 2: have anything other than you know, made from flammable You know, 203 00:11:42,240 --> 00:11:45,320 Speaker 2: we know they're flammable, but we don't know how dangerous 204 00:11:45,320 --> 00:11:48,960 Speaker 2: they are. We don't know the potential consequence because nobody 205 00:11:49,720 --> 00:11:53,000 Speaker 2: has to tell consumers that, and that's what the coroner 206 00:11:53,040 --> 00:11:53,560 Speaker 2: is getting at. 207 00:11:54,640 --> 00:11:57,360 Speaker 1: Has MB responded to the coroner's report at all. 208 00:11:58,480 --> 00:12:01,000 Speaker 2: They were given a chance to respond before the report 209 00:12:01,080 --> 00:12:06,079 Speaker 2: was published. They've just come back saying, look, it's it's 210 00:12:06,120 --> 00:12:10,440 Speaker 2: difficult to regulate. They're saying it's going to cost a 211 00:12:10,440 --> 00:12:16,439 Speaker 2: lot of money to regulate this product, and that you know, 212 00:12:16,559 --> 00:12:20,520 Speaker 2: even overseas where regulations and things are being looked at 213 00:12:20,520 --> 00:12:23,400 Speaker 2: and put in place, it's not as clear cut they're 214 00:12:23,400 --> 00:12:26,160 Speaker 2: basically saying that there's there's not enough evidence. 215 00:12:27,800 --> 00:12:29,280 Speaker 3: That it's needed. 216 00:12:29,320 --> 00:12:31,160 Speaker 2: And the coroner has said, well, you know, you're just 217 00:12:31,160 --> 00:12:33,280 Speaker 2: going to sit there and wait for more X number 218 00:12:33,280 --> 00:12:36,800 Speaker 2: of deaths, but before you get to that level. So 219 00:12:36,840 --> 00:12:39,720 Speaker 2: the coroner has been really scathing of MB. Just keep 220 00:12:39,760 --> 00:12:44,319 Speaker 2: going back to she's she's called the inaction deplorable and 221 00:12:44,440 --> 00:12:48,120 Speaker 2: just you know her words that are consistently retreating from 222 00:12:48,400 --> 00:12:53,959 Speaker 2: regulating this. And you know, how what is what value 223 00:12:54,040 --> 00:12:55,640 Speaker 2: do you put on the life of a sixteen year 224 00:12:55,679 --> 00:12:59,400 Speaker 2: old girl? You know, surely one death is too much. 225 00:13:00,760 --> 00:13:03,360 Speaker 2: You know, had that been a couch made of other material, 226 00:13:04,320 --> 00:13:07,160 Speaker 2: they might have had ten fifteen minutes to get out 227 00:13:07,160 --> 00:13:10,120 Speaker 2: of that house as it was smoldering. But no, it 228 00:13:10,200 --> 00:13:12,040 Speaker 2: just went straight up in flames. And I think that 229 00:13:12,160 --> 00:13:14,480 Speaker 2: is as was his mum said she never ort to 230 00:13:14,679 --> 00:13:17,080 Speaker 2: bought the couch if she knew that that was a possibility. 231 00:13:17,800 --> 00:13:20,680 Speaker 1: What would regulation of this actually look like. Is it 232 00:13:20,760 --> 00:13:23,760 Speaker 1: just an outright ban or is there some other way 233 00:13:23,880 --> 00:13:24,800 Speaker 1: of regulating? 234 00:13:25,600 --> 00:13:28,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm not exactly sure, but I would imagine that 235 00:13:28,960 --> 00:13:32,400 Speaker 2: there would be a number of sort of options. 236 00:13:32,760 --> 00:13:35,120 Speaker 3: I mean, an outright band is possible. 237 00:13:34,720 --> 00:13:40,319 Speaker 2: But also you know, encouraging doing more than just encouraging 238 00:13:40,360 --> 00:13:44,440 Speaker 2: manufacturers not to use it and to look at other materials, 239 00:13:44,840 --> 00:13:48,160 Speaker 2: making sure that you know, there's potentially big stickers in 240 00:13:48,200 --> 00:13:52,360 Speaker 2: the furniture shop saying this product has this particular foam 241 00:13:52,360 --> 00:13:55,160 Speaker 2: filling in it, so that people know what it is 242 00:13:55,240 --> 00:13:58,839 Speaker 2: and can make an educated decision on what they're purchasing. 243 00:13:59,520 --> 00:14:00,800 Speaker 3: You know, I can tell you right now, I have 244 00:14:00,840 --> 00:14:02,560 Speaker 3: no idea what is in my couch at home. 245 00:14:03,480 --> 00:14:06,199 Speaker 2: So you know, you buy a couch and you think 246 00:14:06,200 --> 00:14:09,240 Speaker 2: you're spending a lot of money and it's a good quality, but. 247 00:14:10,040 --> 00:14:12,160 Speaker 3: Then you hear this horror story. 248 00:14:11,840 --> 00:14:16,600 Speaker 2: Of this couch just going up in flames immediately, and 249 00:14:17,679 --> 00:14:20,400 Speaker 2: you know, within you know, within minutes, that house was 250 00:14:20,440 --> 00:14:24,720 Speaker 2: too hot for even firefighters in protective gear to get in. 251 00:14:26,320 --> 00:14:28,880 Speaker 2: It was one firefighter who rubbed at the scene described 252 00:14:28,880 --> 00:14:32,080 Speaker 2: it as like a Molotov cocktail had been thrown into 253 00:14:32,120 --> 00:14:34,280 Speaker 2: the house. It was just flames coming out of every window. 254 00:14:35,280 --> 00:14:38,920 Speaker 2: And that's just for us sofa from some sparks from 255 00:14:38,960 --> 00:14:41,440 Speaker 2: a fire, you know, that got into a sofa, and 256 00:14:42,120 --> 00:14:46,840 Speaker 2: fire and Emergency have told, you know, their advice to 257 00:14:46,880 --> 00:14:50,840 Speaker 2: the government earlier was that you know, carpets and curtains 258 00:14:50,840 --> 00:14:53,160 Speaker 2: and other things. Yes, they go off in flames, but 259 00:14:53,240 --> 00:14:55,680 Speaker 2: not at that rate, not at that pace, and not 260 00:14:55,760 --> 00:14:57,320 Speaker 2: at that intensity. 261 00:14:57,880 --> 00:14:59,200 Speaker 1: Thank you so much for joining us. 262 00:14:59,280 --> 00:15:00,000 Speaker 3: Thank you. 263 00:15:03,240 --> 00:15:05,760 Speaker 1: That's it for this episode of the Front Page. You 264 00:15:05,800 --> 00:15:09,200 Speaker 1: can read more about today's stories and extensive news coverage 265 00:15:09,320 --> 00:15:13,200 Speaker 1: at inzidherld dot co dot inzid. The Front Page is 266 00:15:13,200 --> 00:15:17,520 Speaker 1: produced by Jane Yee. I'm Richard Martin. Subscribe to the 267 00:15:17,560 --> 00:15:21,400 Speaker 1: Front Page on iHeartRadio or wherever you get your podcasts, 268 00:15:21,520 --> 00:15:25,280 Speaker 1: and tune in on Monday for another look behind the headlines.