The wife of a Polish man who died from injuries sustained when he fell 12 feet from a hoist in Roscommon town on Good Friday, yesterday told the inquest into his death of the decision to switch off his life-support machine.
Czeslan Malionoswki (49) was left brain-dead after the accident.
Within hours of hearing the news, his wife Danuta and son Jacko flew from their home in Subiescoego to Ireland.
To facilitate the family, the inquest opened yesterday. Ms Malionoswki told it that the decision was made to turn off his life-support machine on Monday afternoon after a number of tests revealed he could not survive.
She said she married Mr Malionoswki on August 15th, 1984, and he emigrated to Roscommon on May 15th, 2005. He was a qualified mechanic. Two investigations - by the Garda and the Health and Safety Authority - are under way. Mr Malionoswki was power-hosing a building when the accident occurred.
Dr Eugene Connolly, who carried out the postmortem in University College Hospital, Galway, on Monday, concluded that Mr Malionoswki, who was living at Lanesboro Road, Roscommon, suffered fractures to the skull with extensive contusions to the brain.
Coroner Des O'Connor recorded this as the cause of death, but at the suggestion of Supt Gallagher, he adjourned the remainder of the inquest until July 24th. Supt Gallagher said a number of inquiries were under way and it would be appropriate to adjourn until they were completed.
Speaking through her solicitor Bríd Millar, Ms Malionoswki thanked the investigating gardaí.