An inquest yesterday was told of the death of Mr Patrick Helmore, father-in-law of the rock singer Bryan Ferry, in a fire which destroyed his home in Connemara. A faulty electric heater was believed to be the most likely cause of the fire which killed the 73-year-old retired insurance broker in the 100-year-old Crumlin Lodge, Inverin, the inquest in Galway heard. The picturesque wooden house had featured on one of Roxy Music's best-selling albums, Avalon.
Mr Martin Costello, caretaker at Crumlin Lodge, said he saw that the house was on fire when he heard a crackling sound at about 7 a.m. on December 12th last.
He rang the emergency services and went to try to rescue Mr Helmore, but the fire had engulfed the entire building. He broke a window, but was forced back by the flames. He knew that Mr Helmore had little chance of surviving.
Garda Tony Lynch told the inquest that when he arrived at the scene the lodge had been destroyed by the fire. They subsequently searched the debris and found Mr Helmore's body in the sitting-room.
Mr Helmore had been sleeping downstairs for some time because of ill health.
Ms Sophie Helmore, a daughter-in-law of the deceased man, said that she saw Mr Helmore for the last time when she called to the lodge around 6 p.m. on December 11th. She said that when she left him he had a large bottle of red wine beside his bed.
Det Garda Mick Moran, a forensic expert, said there was no evidence to suggest that the fire had been started deliberately. A two-bar heater was located on the floor of the dining room, and it was his belief that this was the cause of the fire.
The jury returned a verdict that Mr Helmore died from asphyxia as a result of carbonmonoxide poisoning.