An elderly couple received a phone call from their son who told them that they had become grandparents, only to be found dead a few hours later when their home went up in flames, an inquest in Cork has heard.
Deputy Coroner for Cork City, Dr Mary McCaffrey, issued a general warning about fire safety at the inquest in to the deaths of John (83) and Gabrielle (75) O’Donnell. The couple were found dead at their terraced period home in Lower Glanmire Road in Cork last April.
Mr O’Donnell died of natural causes whilst the passing of Mrs O’Donnell was directly related to the blaze which destroyed their property.
The couple had fire detectors on each of the three storeys of their home and the property also contained carbon monoxide detectors. The inquest heard that the house was completely gutted and that experts were unable to determine the seat of the fire.
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Dr McCaffrey said that there is twice the amount of mortality and injury in fires in the 65 to 75 year age group, whilst the number trebles at 75 and quadruples at 85.
Dr McCaffrey said that the grant system for smoke alarms should be looked, at in addition to panic alarm usage among the elderly. She said that older people face additional risk issues in relation to the breakout of fires such as instability on their feet and deterioration in hearing. Diminished hearing can make it harder to hear smoke detectors.
Dr McCaffrey called on people to buy new smoke detectors for their elderly parents this Christmas instead of the “silly” items usually purchased at this time of year.
She told the couple’s son Mark that his parents had a very “happy night” before they died, having been informed of the birth of their grandchild.
Mark O’Donnell, a son of the deceased, said that whilst his mother liked candles she had taken to replacing them with battery versions. He told the coroner that his parents were both safety conscious and had smoke detectors on each floor. They also had carbon monoxide detectors.
He said that he called his parents that day from his home in Qatar to tell them that his wife Grace had given birth to a baby girl.
Seven units of the fire brigade attended at the scene shortly after 11pm on April 4th last. Second Fire Officer with Cork City Fire Brigade Victor Shine said that the couple were found dead in the livingroom.
Sgt Owen O’Connell said that the property was engulfed in flames. The street had to be cordoned off and diversions were put in place. He said that CCTV footage indicated that a window of the property blew out shortly after the blaze started.
Scenes of Crime investigator Garda Orla Punch said that the fire damage was very extensive. Gardaí were unable to determine the cause of the fire.
Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster carried out the postmortem examinations on the couple. She said that Gabrielle died of acute carbon monoxide poisoning due to inhalation of smoke. Her postmortem on John O’Donnell indicated that he had died suddenly of a heart episode before the the fire broke out.
A verdict of natural causes was recorded in relation to the death of Mr O’Donnell whilst Mrs O’Donnell’s passing was logged as a case of accidental death.
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