Children died after car went on fire

The Dublin City Coroner, Dr Brian Farrell, warned yesterday of the danger of leaving children unattended in cars and said even…

The Dublin City Coroner, Dr Brian Farrell, warned yesterday of the danger of leaving children unattended in cars and said even adults could be vulnerable in certain circumstances. He was commenting after a jury had returned verdicts of accidental death on Amber (5), Megan (4) and Ryan (2) Quinn, who suffered extensive burns when their father's car caught fire outside their home at Dunsink Drive, Finglas, last December. The jury added the rider that all non-standard equipment should be fitted to a car by a competent auto-electrician and that it should be checked by the insurance company before the policy was renewed. Det Garda Eugene Gilligan said when he examined the car he found the cigarette lighter had been modified to charge cellular phones and he believed an electrical fault in the wiring had caused the fire. At an earlier hearing Mr John Butler, an engineer and car fire expert, had disagreed with this. The inquest then was adjourned. At yesterday's resumed hearing Mr Butler agreed it was possible the fire had been caused by an electrical fault.