Ballinrobe inquest

Man died from smoke inhalation

THE inquest into the death of a Ballinrobe man in a house fire last April found that a reading lamp found on the deceased man’s bed may have been the cause of the fire.
Mr James (Jimmy) O’Malley (53) of 7 Bowgate Court, Ballinrobe was found dead behind his apartment door on April 7 last after he was overcome by the fumes of the smoke. A post mortem into his death found that the carbon monoxide level in his blood was at 43.9 per cent saturation, which the pathologist explained was a toxic level.
Mr Michael Jennings told the inquest he called to Mr O’Malley’s  apartment at 6.30pm on April 7. He noticed that the windows were blackened and rang John Biggins and Paul Greally, who were friends of Mr O’Malley.  He found Mr O’Malley lying on the ground at the front door.
Garda Niall Ward said that the living area was extensively damaged by smoke and the bed in the bedroom was destroyed by fire as was much of the room. Garda Malachy Burke of the Divisional Crime Scene Unit said the seat of the fire appeared to have been at the top right corner of the bed. He said in that area the remains were found of what appeared to be a reading lamp with a flexible stem which was plugged in with the switch in the ‘on’ position. His examinations found there was nothing to suggest that the cause of the fire was anything other than accidental. Garda Burke said if the halogen bulb was in contact with bed clothing it could start a fire within half an hour.
Dr Iqdam Tobbia, Consultant Pathologist, said a post-mortem found that there was a thick layer of carbon dust in the trachea and bronchioles and the carbon monoxide levels in the blood were at toxic levels. He said the cause of death was due to asphyxia, due to carbon monoxide poisoning, due to smoke inhalation.
Mr John O’Dwyer, coroner for south Mayo, gave a verdict of death by misadventure and extended his sympathy to Mr O’Malley’s brother and sister on their loss. Superintendent Eugene Brennan also expressed his sympathy and a solicitor on behalf of the family thanked the Gardaí and also Mr O’Malley’s friends for looking out for him.