Pensioner collapsed while smoking cigarette, inquest told

A pensioner found dead in his sitting room had sustained 90 per cent burns to his body, an inquest heard.

Christopher (Willie) Horrigan (72) of Griffith Parade, Finglas East in Dublin collapsed while smoking a cigarette in an armchair at his home on May 2nd, 2014.

Mr Horrigan, who lived at the terraced house with his brother Peter for 60 years, was found lying at the foot of a badly charred armchair. His brother Peter returned home at around 10pm and found him.

"I saw Willie lying on the floor with his two hands around his knees. He was badly burned, I knew he was dead," Peter Horrigan said.

He had been feeling unwell and was a heavy smoker, Mr Horrigan told Dublin Coroner’s Court.

Neighbour Austin Tiernan said he knew the brothers all his life and when Peter Horrigan called in a distressed state, he went with him next door.

"Peter called to the door, he said the whole house was burned," Mr Tiernan said.

He saw the charred remains of Mr Horrigan lying amid debris next to a TV which was still operating, though it had melted in the fire.

Garda Peter O’Connor of Finglas Garda station told the court he examined the fire damage. The wallpaper, armchair and floor was badly burned, he said. He found the fire started in the area of the armchair beside the television, though he could not say how the fire started.

An autopsy revealed Mr Horrigan had died before the fire started.

Dr Anthony Dorman of Beaumont Hospital found no evidence of carbon monoxide in Mr Horrigan's lungs consistent with death in a fire and no evidence of alcohol in his system.

Mr Horrigan died due to a massive hemorrhage from a gastric ulcer into his stomach.

Family members, including Peter Horrigan and his nephew Darren Moloney, expressed relief at the finding.

Coroner Dr Brian Farrell said the fire was not the cause of Mr Horrigan's death, but rather his death caused the fire.

“In fact his death is the cause of the fire really, we think he collapsed and dropped the cigarette and his clothing caught fire,” the coroner said.

He returned a narrative verdict, noting the likelihood of a heart attack given extensive coronary heart disease evident at autopsy.

“Mr Horrigan died of natural causes and the fire was a secondary event,” the coroner said.