A COUPLE whose semi-detached home had to be demolished after a gas explosion in the house next door have settled their High Court action over the incident.
The case was taken by Thomas and Terry Lynch, a married couple with two children who were living at Cherrybrook Drive, Drogheda, Co Louth, at the time of the explosion on the afternoon of May 24th, 2001. The action was against five defendants, who all denied liability. They were Joseph and Bridget Farrell, next door neighbours of the Lynch family; an Italian company OARA SRL, manufacturer of gas regulators; Seamus Burns Heating and Plumbing Ltd, Dungooley, Kilcurry, Dundalk, Co Louth; and Hynes Interiors Ltd, Bellurgan Road, Dundalk, Co Louth.
On the second day of the hearing yesterday, Jeremy Maher SC, for the Lynches, told Mr Justice Vivian Lavan the case had been settled and could be struck out with an order for costs against OARA SRL, with registered offices at Via Averolda, Travaglianto (BS) Italy.
In opening the case, Mr Maher said the Farrells had a gas hob connected to a gas cylinder which was outside their house. Due to an alleged defect in the regulator attached to the cylinder, a considerable quantity of gas built up and ignited causing devastation to the Lynch home and a number of other houses in the area.
As a result the Lynches were without a home for the best part of a year. He said Mrs Lynch was in her kitchen when the explosion blew out her patio door and windows. She ran to the garden where her two children, Tara (5) and Aaron (2), had been playing. Tara had sustained an injury to the head and Aaron was lying on the ground under rubble.
They were taken to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda, and transferred to Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, from where they were discharged the next day. Mrs Lynch underwent counselling for several months after the incident.