Mayo man suffered fatal fall while repairing shed roof
The inquest was heard at Ballina Courthouse.
A verdict of misadventure has been returned at an inquest into the death of a 67-year-old Erris man who fell from a ladder onto concrete while repairing a roof on a shed last January.
Patrick O’Malley, Munhin, Bangor Erris, sustained fatal head injuries while attempting to fix a hole on an old-style asbestos roof with sheets of galvanised iron.
The retired Bord na Móna employee was found dead by his brother John on January 26.
Following a post-mortem examination at Mayo University Hospital, the cause of death was revealed as subarachnoid hemorrhage (type of stroke caused by bleeding) due to the fracture of the base of skull arising from a fall.
After hearing all the evidence at an inquest in Ballina Courthouse last week, Mayo coroner Dr Eleanor Fitzgerald said Mr O’Malley had taken a risk by attempting to repair the roof while he was on his own. Accordingly, she returned a verdict of misadventure.
“The death could have been prevented if more caution had been taken on what was an unsafe task," Dr Fitzgerald commented.
Garda Michael Sweeney, from Belmullet, who investigated the tragedy, said the deceased was lying on the shed floor between the outside wall and a narrow partition wall. There were a number of tools on the ground beside him and a ladder was on the ground.
In a deposition read to the court on his behalf by Gda Sgt Sean McHale, John O’Malley explained he had been with his brother in the ‘home place” on January 24. His brother had mentioned to him previously about repairing a shed roof but had not spoken about it on that particular day.
On Monday, January 26, Mr O’Malley returned and went into the house.
“I thought it was strange the radio was on but there was no fire burning. I thought to myself he (Patrick) might have gone for turf. It was awful quiet. After I changed my clothes and put on my wellingtons I went to the shed where I saw the big step ladder and a sheet of tin left on top of it.”
Mr O’Malley said he became worried when he saw the shed gate open as it was never open. He added that when he tried to open a third door, which was located in the part of the shed where there was a hole in the roof, he found the door blocked.
“It didn’t feel like timber. I was frightened," he recalled. "Then I went down to the fourth door and opened it.”
Mr O’Malley said he found his brother on the ground “stone cold”. He raised the alarm by ringing a neighbour, Grainne O’Malley, and the emergency services were called.
In response to a question from the coroner, Mr O’Malley said his brother could have been on the ground for 24 hours before he was found.
Sgt McHale joined the coroner in expressing sympathy to the relatives of the deceased. He said Patrick was part of the Bangor Erris community where he was liked and respected.
- Published as part of the Courts Reporting Scheme.
