A house fire that killed a Dagenham pensioner was allegedly caused by a lit flare being thrown into his home, a court has heard.

Robert Price, 76, was pronounced dead shortly before 6pm on July 27 at his home in Oval Road North, Dagenham.

Coroner's officers have not yet been able to identify his next of kin, East London Coroner's Court heard on Tuesday, August 20, as senior coroner Graeme Irvine opened an inquest into Robert’s death.

“Police referred the death to the coroner’s court as there was no clear cause of death, however, there was a suspicion that Mr Price’s death had been caused due to third-party actions,” he said.

Police were told that “a group of males were seen to approach the deceased’s home address and throw a lighted flare into the property”.

A fire broke out, Mr Irvine said, and Mr Price’s death was declared by paramedics from the London Ambulance Service.

A forensic post-mortem on July 29 has since given Mr Price’s cause of death as “inhalation of fire fumes and burns”.

“It is necessary to open an inquest into Mr Price’s death because it is very clear that his death was an unnatural death and moreover a violent death,” said Mr Irvine.

He said he would set a “target date” for a full inquest in six months’ time, but added: “I strongly suspect that that will not be effective as I am given to understand that there is an ongoing criminal investigation into Mr Price’s death.”

“I will periodically review this case, subject to any updates from the Metropolitan Police Service,” he said.

Mr Irvine said he would only order the production of limited evidence for the inquest at this time, explaining: “I don’t wish to in any way contaminate the evidence gathering in a criminal case.”

He declared Mr Price's next of kin as interested persons in the inquest, but added: "They have not been formally identified by the coroner's officer as of yet."

Two teenage boys – one aged 16, the other 17 – have been charged with murder and arson with intent to endanger life over Robert's death.

Police have appealed for any witnesses – including drivers who may have dash cam footage from the area, filmed between 5pm and 6pm on July 27 – to call 101 and quote reference CAD5619/27Jul.

Alternatively, they can call independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.