Mayo coroner warns of dangers of inhaling helium following death

A MAYO coroner has warned of the dangers of inhaling helium gas after a 31-year-old died in his home after inhaling from a canister.

Stefan Danicic of 5 St Gerard's Court, Ballyhaunis was found dead in his bed by his mother in the afternoon of December 13, 2024.

The inquest into his death which took place in Ballina courthouse heard that a helium gas canister was found near his bed and a post mortem subsequently discovered that the cause of death was asphyxia due to helium inhalation.

Coroner for Mayo, Dr Eleanor Fitzgerald commented that this was the first case of this kind of death that she has come across and she asked Dr Tomas Nemeth, Consultant Pathologist if helium was recognised to cause death.

READ: Inquest hears Mayo motorcyclist died instantly in Ballinrobe crash

Dr Nemeth replied that while the inhalation of helium is normally done for pleasure, it can displace oxygen and cause the loss of consciousness.

“It can knock out those who have no intention of killing themselves and once they are unconscious it raises the risk of death,” he explained.

Dr Fitzgerald commented that the death of Mr Danicic showed how easy death can occur by inhaling helium.

“Helium is a very dangerous gas and it is quite striking how it can happen so easily. There were no other drugs or alcohol involved [in this case] and death can be more instant that it would with alcohol or other substances,” she said.

The inquest heard that Mr Danicic lived in Ballyhaunis with his father and brother and worked in security. His father Karim Benkheilifa explained that on December 12, 2024 his son went to bed at around 9pm.

The following morning he said he went to bed at 6am and later that day he returned to his home at around 4pm with his ex-wife who is the mother of Mr Danicic.

He explained he heard screams when his ex-wife went into his son's room and found him unconscious on the bed. The inquest heard he was cold to touch and there was a gas canister in the bed beside him

Mr Danicic was pronounced dead at the scene and his body was later brought for burial to his home town in Croatia.

Mr Benkheilifa told Dr Fitzgerald that while his son had previously suffered from depression, he said he had been okay and was in good form before his death.

His brother also told Dr Fitzgerald that it was 'definitely not' a usual occurrence for the deceased man to inhale helium.

Dr Fitzgerald described Mr Danicic's death as very sad and again highlighted that lack of awareness of the danger of inhaling helium.

“It is a substance which is very easy to obtain to blow up balloons and by inadvertently inhaling it it can cause asphyxia which deprieves oxygen and causes death. That is basically what happened to Stefan. It was an innocent event which caused his death and maybe through this [inquest] it will avoid it happening again,” she said.

A verdict of accidental death was recorded and Dr Fitzgerald expressed sympathy to Mr Danicic's family on the sad loss.