AN inquest into the death of a young woman who died in a fire in Newport opened yesterday (Monday), when evidence was heard from gardaí of statements they took from witnesses and technical and forensic experts.
Twenty-four-year-old Elizabeth O’Malley from Newport died in a fire in an apartment above Keane’s butchers in the early hours of the morning of Monday, January 15 last.
Mr Pat Bailey, a native of Roscommon, who was also in the apartment, escaped and in his statement to Gardaí said that he had been drinking on the night in question and couldn’t remember going back to his apartment in Newport or having anyone else in the apartment with him. When the alarm was raised and Mr Bailey found his way to the street several neighbours asked him if there was anyone else inside to which he replied there wasn’t. Mr Bailey’s statement also said that he often woke up to find the halogen heater in his bedroom turned on. He couldn’t remember if he turned it on that night but said he may have done so.
Tom Ryder, a member of Westport Fire Brigade, told the inquest that he travelled to the scene and entered the smoke -filled building with a breathing apparatus. In an upstairs bedroom he was making his way towards the window to ventilate the room when he stumbled into what he thought was a radiator. When he bent down to investigate this further he felt a foot. The presence of a body in the room was then confirmed by two of his colleagues.
The inquest heard that Detective Garda Janette O’Neill travelled with colleagues from the Garda Technical Bureau in Dublin to examine the scene on Monday, January 15. Upon examining the apartment, which was extensively damaged by smoke, it was apparent that the fire had started in the bedroom. Near the door the remnants of a heater were located and there was extensive burning in this area. It was her opinion that an item of clothing, most likely a pair of jeans found nearby, had fallen on this heater and started the fire.
Sixteen witness statements were heard, from gardaí, friends of the deceased, friends of Mr Bailey and local residents.
State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy performed a post-mortem examination on the body of Ms O’Malley on the afternoon of January 15. She was unable to attend the inquest yesterday, so coroner John O’Dwyer adjourned proceedings until Monday, September 24 next when Dr Cassidy will be in attendance.
