A father of seven probably died while trying to rescue his girlfriend from a smoke-filled room, a coroner said yesterday.
Anthony Spain (49) and Suzanne Flanagan (28), a mother of a 10-year-old boy, both died of smoke inhalation during an accidental fire in Ms Flanagan's apartment, said Dublin city coroner Dr Brian Farrell.
A smoke detector in the apartment at Ellesmere Avenue did not sound because the alarm's battery was not properly connected.
The inquest heard that a mattress in Ms Flanagan's apartment had caught fire and been smouldering for some hours before Mr Spain arrived shortly before 10pm, on March 13th.
His body was found by fire officers slumped behind the bedroom door. Ms Flanagan's badly-burned body was between two beds in the same room.A toxicology report found both victims had drunk significant amounts of alcohol. A verdict of accidental death was recorded.