An elderly woman died when her nightdress caught fire as she dressed beside an open fire at her home in Co Clare, an inquest heard yesterday.
Family members of Agnes Maloney (86), Kildysart, Co Clare, told Dublin City Coroner's Court that while Ms Maloney had a fireguard, she rarely used it.
Ms Maloney, a mother-of-eight, lived alone but had a home help visit her twice a day. On the day of the fire, Deirdre Corish, who works for Clare Care, left Ms Maloney sitting beside the open fireplace after preparing her breakfast and laying out her clothes at about 10.30am on November 26th, 2004.
"When I left, she was still in her nightdress and was putting on her tights beside the open fireplace," she told the court.
Séamus Maloney, who lives across the road and works on an adjoining farm, heard his mother's fire alarm go off soon after Ms Corish left the house.
"I arrived at the house and the fire was in the living room and kitchen area. The nightdress had been burnt off her," he told the court. Mr Maloney had earlier called into his mother and stoked the fire to warm the house . He made her a cup of tea.
Ms Maloney was taken by ambulance to Ennis General Hospital and was transferred to the burns unit of St James's Hospital later that day. She died the following day of multi-organ failure as a result of significant burns affecting 50 per cent of her body.
Dr Brian Farrell returned a verdict of accidental death.