A SURVIVOR of the house fire which claimed the lives of seven members of his family told an inquest yesterday that he had started to cook his breakfast, then fell asleep. When he woke up, the house was on fire.
The fire in Portarlington, Co Laois, last June bank holiday weekend was recalled yesterday when the inquest took place in Portlaoise into the death bf Mrs Breda Maher (48) and her six children.
On June 2nd, Mrs Maher her two sons, Mark (23) and Barry (12), and three daughters, Joanne (9), Fiona (6) and Martina (2), died in the blaze at the family home at Marian Hill Portarlington, in the early hours of the morning.
Three days later her son, Colm (27), died in a Dublin hospital Extensive severe body burning covered 80 per cent of his skin surface.
The jury returned a verdict of accidental death in accordance with the medical evidence.
Dr Eoin Gaffney performed the autopsy on Colm Maher at St James's Hospital, Dublin. He concluded that death was due to severe shock, multiple organ failure and extensive burns, sustained in an accidental house fire.
Autopsies on Mrs Maher and her remaining children were carried out by Dr Declan Gilsenan, pathologist. He concluded that they died from the inhalation of the products of combustion on June 2nd last.
The inquest heard that the first person to arrive at the scene of the fire was Mr Thomas O'Shea from Arlington estate. He was driving to pick up his daughter from a party when he noticed the smoke coming from the Maher home.
Mrs Maher's husband, Alo snr was sitting on the step and Colm was lying on the grass. There was a third person there whom Mr O'Shea did not recognise. Mr Maher was in his vest and trousers and was completely black.
"For God's sake, get help. They are all inside," said Mr Maher. Mr O'Shea heard a "blast of flames" and saw flames bursting through the windows and the roof.
Mr Maher described how he was awakened n bed by his wife, Breda, who said that she smelt smoke. He went downstairs and found that the place was full of smoke. Vincent was standing in the kitchen. He shouted at Vincent to get out. The next thing he knew was that Colm was at the bottom of the stairs. He pulled Colm out of the house. "The house went up in smoke and flames very quickly," he said.
An unsworn statement by Vincent Maher was read to the inquest by Mr Eugene O'Connor, coroner. Vincent Maher went to a disco on June 1st and dropped his girlfriend home. There was no-one up when he got home at 3.45 a.m. He put on the grill on the cooker to cook sausages and rashers. He sat on the couch and must have fall en asleep.
When he woke the house was on fire. He went outside and got a ladder. Smoke and flames were bursting out of the windows. He threw some rocks up to break the window and shouted. He did not remember very much more. He was taken to hospital in Tullamore.
Dermot Higgins, fire station officer at Portarlington said that the service was mobile at 5 a.m.