Fireguard warning after Mayo woman, 93, dies in house blaze
Coroner Pat O'Connor said the case highlighted the importance of using fireguards at all times.
An inquest has recorded a verdict of accidental death in the case of an elderly Kiltimagh woman who died in a house fire earlier this year.
Mary McNicholas, aged 93, of Cordarragh, Kiltimagh, sustained fatal injuries in the blaze at her home on March 11 last.
Gda Brian Murphy told the inquest at Swinford Courthouse that he attended the scene shortly after 1.40pm on the day in question. He found the deceased's body in a chair in the kitchen area. There was nothing suspicious at the house such as signs of a break-in.
Andrew O’Flaherty told the inquest that he identified the body as that of his aunt Mary McNicholas, a retired nurse.
The deceased's brother, Sean McNicholas, told the inquest he had gone to see his sister earlier that day and she had been seated in her recliner chair as usual. There was a small, low coal fire in the fireplace.
Mr McNicholas had only just left when he received a call from his brother Ollie, who lived in the adjoining house, to say there was smoke coming from Mary's kitchen window. By the time he arrived, the kitchen window had "blown out". He attempted to enter the house but was prevented from doing so by smoke and flames.
Home help Sheila Gill told the inquest she visited at around 10.30am and removed the ashes from the fireplace and lit a fire. Ms McNicholas’ asked her not to place a fireguard in front of the fire. Ms McNicholas never used the fireguard as she felt it stopped the heat from getting out. Ms Gill said Ms McNicholas always had a cigarette once a day but only under supervision. She had an emergency response button on her wrist but must have been unable to press it.
Gda Russell Gibbons, who is attached to the Mayo Division Crime Scenes Unit, conducted a forensic investigation of the scene. He told the inquest he found no evidence of any accelerants and it was impossible to tell where the fire had started. Gda Gibbons said it was a possibility that a spark came out of the fire and landed on something flammable.
Consultant pathologist Dr Fedel Bennani said it was not possible to conduct an examination of the internal organs during the post-mortem, nor was it possible to take a sample of blood to analyse for the presence of carbon monoxide. On the balance of probabilities, the cause of death was carbon monoxide poisoning and severe burn injuries.
In recording a verdict of accidental death, coroner Patrick O’Connor said the tragic incident sent out an important message about fire safety within the home and, in particular, the importance of fireguards.
“The irony is that Ms McNicholas, a retired nurse, spent so much of her own life looking after other people," the coroner said. “It is very important that fireguards are used at all times. Ms McNicholas did not want to have the guard up but there is a lesson here to ensure that the guard is in place at all times.”
Mr O'Connor extended sympathy to Ms McNicholas’ family and friends.
