Widow says lack of fire-fighting services on islands a form of discrimination

A 2004 fire on Clare Island was put out using 43 fire extinguishers

Clare Island: this is believed to be the first inquest held on the island. Photograph: Getty
Clare Island: this is believed to be the first inquest held on the island. Photograph: Getty


The widow of a man who died in a house fire on Clare Island in Co Mayo last March, has described as a form of "discrimination" the lack of appropriate firefighting services, equipment and training provided to the country's offshore islands.

Angela Biggs was speaking at the inquest into the death of James (Jim) Biggs (62), a retired marine engineer, who was taken unconscious from his home in Lecarrow on Clare Island by neighbours shortly after 10.30pm on March 10th. He died at the scene.

At yesterday’s inquest, believed to have been the first ever held on Clare Island, his widow asked that lessons be learnt from Mr Biggs’s death, “so that something good can come of this tragedy”.

“We need to raise awareness of the need for a fire service in places like Clare Island with our public representatives,” she said. “Constituents on islands must be treated the same as those on the mainland. The lack of provision of fire services on the islands is a form of discrimination which puts lives at great risk.”

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Coroner for south Mayo John O’Dwyer echoed her views. “Quenching large fires with buckets of water is unacceptable in this day and age,” he said.

The issue of firefighting on offshore islands was highlighted after the tragic death of three elderly sisters on the neighbouring island of Inishbofin, Co Galway, in 1999. Residents were provided with fire-blankets, extinguishers and smoke alarms in December 2003. A house fire on Clare Island in January 2004 was quenched using more than 43 extinguishers.

At the time of Mr Biggs’s death, a senior executive with Mayo County Council said it was not feasible to provide small fire tenders for offshore islands. There is a fire tender on the largest Aran Island of Inis Mór, which has a population of more than 800.

At the inquest, pathologist Dr Tamas Nemeth said Mr Biggs had died from carbon monoxide poisoning due to smoke inhalation.