Man arrested over woman's fire death appears at inquest

A man who was previously arrested on suspicion of murdering a woman he lived with told an inquest he "was in a state of shock" when he saw her and the fire at his property. Izabela Chalastra, 46, died in hospital six days after a bungalow fire in Forster Street, Nottingham, on 1 March 2024. An inquest into her death heard Zbigniew Lewandowski - who was subject to a domestic violence protection order at the time - was arrested in connection with the fire, and later detained on suspicion of murder, but no charges have been brought. The hearing at Nottingham Coroner's Court on Wednesday was also told an investigation into the fire could not narrow down the cause of the blaze. Lewandowski told the inquest via a Polish interpreter that he had met Chalastra through a friend but denied he was in a relationship with her. He said she wanted to stay at his property which he was renting from Nottingham City Council and that he allowed it, but that "it was not a permanent arrangement". "She was supposed to leave me and my address," he added, adding Chalastra was "badmouthing me to the police". The inquest was told Chalastra had reported to the police that she had been raped on 25 February, and