A WOMAN burned to death within two minutes after a car she was sitting in exploded and caught fire, the High Court heard yesterday.
Professor James Ferris, of the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, said that Gloria Mak Wai-ngor died before she inhaled enough carbon monoxide to render her unconscious.
He was giving evidence as an expert witness for the Crown in the trial of Chan Sai-kit, 44, who denied murdering his 40-year-old wife, and is being tried by a jury before Mr Justice Wong.
Gary Alderdice QC, prosecuting, had told the court that the couple were Canadian citizens who returned to Hong Kong in March 1989.
According to a statement by Chan, he asked his wife to help him repair the car on October 23, 1989. An explosion occurred when she turned the ignition on while sitting in the driver's seat. It was followed by a fire so intense that metal melted and the vehicle's paint-work was stripped and blistered.
After the fire was put out, the charred body of Ms Mak was found at the back of the car. It was the Crown's case that just before the couple returned to Hong Kong, Chan took out an insurance policy which covered accident and disability. He was insured forC$200,000 (about HK$1.16 million) and Ms Mak for half that amount.
They also signed a joint will in which Ms Mak wanted to include a clause stating that in the event of her death under suspicious circumstances, investigations should be undertaken.