A HOUSE fire that claimed the lives of a woman and her five-year-old nephew started accidentally after a candle left burning on the floor ignited a curtain and quickly engulfed the house, an inquest has heard.
It had initially been suspected that the fire, which claimed the lives of Helena O’Dwyer (25) and her nephew, Ryan O’Dwyer Hayes, at a house on Nutley Avenue in Mahon in Cork’s south side on Easter Sunday morning, April 24th, 2011, could have been an arson attack. However an inquest into the two deaths at Cork City Coroner’s Court yesterday heard gardaí were satisfied there was nothing malicious involved.
Retired Garda sergeant and forensic expert Dave O’Regan told the inquest he had carried out a detailed technical examination of the scene and found the fire had originated in the sitting room of the council house, which was not fitted with a smoke alarm.
“I didn’t find any evidence of malicious intent or accelerant being used,” said Mr O’Regan, adding he was satisfied the source of the fire was a lit candle on the floor near the window, which he believed ignited curtain material and a couch before spreading.
State Pathologist Prof Marie Cassidy said Ms O’Dwyer, a mother of one, died from inhalation of smoke and fire gases in association with inhalation of gastric contents and acute alcohol intoxication, while Ryan died from inhalation of smoke and fire gases in association with inhalation of gastric contents.
The jury returned verdicts of accidental death in both cases.
