ThatsLife
  • WIN
  • News
  • Real Life
  • Food
  • Lifestyle
  • Pets
  • Your Stars
  • Puzzles
  • Podcasts
  • Video
ThatsLife
  • WIN
  • News
  • Real Life
  • Food
  • Lifestyle
  • Pets
  • Your Stars
  • Puzzles
  • Podcasts
  • Video
Subscribe
  1. Home
  2. Real Life

Young dad died in freak accident after getting trapped under cinema seat

Utterly tragic - by Riah Matthews
  • 20 May 2019

An inquest has heard how a young dad tragically died after becoming trapped under a cinema chair.

Young dad died in freak accident after getting trapped under cinema seat
Getty stock photo

Birmingham Live reported from the inquest, which heard that on March 9 2018, Ateeq Rafiq, 24, visited Vue Cinema in Birmingham, UK, with his wife, Ayesha Sardar.

After watching a film in screen 17, Mr Rafiq couldn't locate his phone or keys and suspected they may have fallen into his Gold Class seat.

Still sat in seat C5 with the footrest in an upright position, area coroner Emma Brown explained to the inquest what happened next.

'He got up off his seat with the footrest in the raised position and went under the seat,' she said. 'Very quickly the footrest started to come down on him.'

When she realised what was happening, his wife tried in vain to hold the footrest up. 

After alerting staff, they tried for 10 to 15 minutes to free Mr. Rafiq from under the chair but they could not get the buttons which operated the footrest to work.

Paramedics arrived at 7.55pm and Mr. Rafiq was taken to hospital where he died on March 16 after suffering a hypoxic brain injury.

The Nottingham Post reported that during the inquest, Mrs. Sardar described how her husband had used her phone to search for his phone and keys.

'The footrest started to come down, trapping his neck. He called out in pain,' she said. 'I noticed his breathing was very bad. It appeared as if he was suffocating.'

By the time he was freed, Mrs. Sardar said he was breathing but his body was blue. 

The inquest will be looking at the mechanical cause of how he became trapped, plus any adjustments or alterations that had been made post manufacture to the footrest.

Releasing a statement, his wife described Mr. Rafiq as described her husband as a 'loving father, son, husband and friend.'

'He was always happy and positive and took every day as it came. He had a brilliant sense of humour and the greatest of hearts. There is not a day that goes by when we do not think of him.'

Riah Matthews
Riah Matthews
Riah Matthews is the Deputy Editor for that’s life! She started her journalism career in the UK at the Nottingham Post before moving to Australia and working on that's life! and the podcast How I Survived. Her work has also been published in the Daily Mail, Chat, Woman, Pick Me Up, Take a Break, Real People and on Newidea.com.au

Subscribe to That's Life!-+ save!

Subscribe to That's Life!

Subscribe Now
Subscribe to That's Life!

Subscribe to That's Life!-+ save!

Subscribe to That's Life!

Subscribe Now
Subscribe to That's Life!

Recommended to you

There's A Better, Faster Way To Predict Sepsis
Watch 0:37

There's A Better, Faster Way To Predict Sepsis

{headline}

{headline}

Three-year-old girl killed when trampoline exploded

Three-year-old girl killed when trampoline exploded

I turn people into art!

I turn people into art!

Holly the heart hero

Holly the heart hero

30-year heartbreak  - who killed Kerry Turner?

30-year heartbreak - who killed Kerry Turner?

{headline}

{headline}

My runny nose was cancer

My runny nose was cancer

I was paralysed at the beach

I was paralysed at the beach

Horror at the servo - I was abducted and raped

Horror at the servo - I was abducted and raped

{headline}

{headline}

My husband forgot I was his wife so we wed twice

My husband forgot I was his wife so we wed twice

Empty nesters... so we adopted SEVEN kids!

Empty nesters... so we adopted SEVEN kids!

Back from the brink!

Back from the brink!

A cockatoo proposed to me!

A cockatoo proposed to me!

Brave Ellie - 420 days in hospital for a new heart!

Brave Ellie - 420 days in hospital for a new heart!

I woke up with no hands and feet

I woke up with no hands and feet

How chalk found me love!

How chalk found me love!

ThatsLife
  • Gold Club
  • Online Entry FAQ
  • About Us
  • Subscribe Today
  • Contact Us
  • Terms
  • Competitions
  • Privacy Policy
ThatsLife Magazine Subscribe
  • Gold Club
  • Online Entry FAQ
  • About Us
  • Subscribe Today
  • Contact Us
  • Terms
  • Competitions
  • Privacy Policy

Brands

  • New Idea
  • Who
  • Girlfriend
  • Practical Parenting

Our Network

  • Better Homes and Gardens
  • BHG Shop
  • marie claire
  • Beauty Crew
  • New Idea food
  • Women's Weekly Food
  • Bounty Parents
  • Home Beautiful
  • All Recipes
  • 7plus
  • 7News
  • Sunrise
  • Starts at 60
  • The West Australian
  • Perth Now
  • 7mate
  • 7Sport
  • Hard to Find
© 2022 Are Media PTY LTD
All products are independently selected, tested or recommended by our team of experts.If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Get more from

Magazine Subscription Offer

Subscribe to That's Life!-+ save!

Shop This Offer
Subscribe to That's Life!