An inquest into the death of a member of the Smurfit family in London has been adjourned pending further investigation. Jason Smurfit (35) was found burned to death in the grounds of a Catholic church in Hounslow.
He was a son of the late Jeff Smurfit jnr and a nephew of businessman Michael Smurfit. Police are not looking for anyone in connection with the incident.
Coroner Alison Thompson adjourned the inquest at West London Coroner's Court in Fulham yesterday afternoon pending further investigation. The brief hearing heard the cause of death was severe burns.
A Scotland Yard spokeswoman said last night that officers were called to a man alight in the grounds of St Michael and St Martin's Catholic Church on Bath Road, Hounslow, just before 2.30pm last Sunday.
She said police, an ambulance, an air ambulance and the fire brigade attended the incident but could not save the man. "He was taken to the West Middlesex Hospital where he was pronounced dead," she said. "His death is not being treated as suspicious."
Fr Anthony Psaila, a curate at the church, said the people in the area had been shocked by the incident.
"It happened so suddenly, nobody was expecting such a thing on a Sunday afternoon. He seemingly set himself on fire, the young adults who were there in the centre tried to help him and we put the fire out and all that but the emergency services were immediately on the scene and they were very helpful," he said.
Representatives of the Smurfit family are understood to be in London to arrange for the return of the remains to Dublin.
His mother, Anne, lives at the K Club in Co Kildare. - (PA)