Man’s death after calling ambulance sparks probe

THE Health Service Executive (HSE) Southern Area last night confirmed it is investigating the circumstances of an emergency call for an ambulance from a man who died later in a Co Kerry town.

The 999 call, on the morning of October 6 last, was made by a 48-year-old man, who is believed to have suffered an asthma attack in his home. The call came from the man’s home.

An ambulance was sent out, in response, but is believed to have called to another house in the same estate.

The man was found dead later in his own home.

It is understood the investigation will try to establish what address the man gave in his call to the emergency services and what address the ambulance went to.

It’s not known if the ambulance called to the address which the man, who lived alone, had given.

Representatives of the HSE have since met members of the man’s family.

A post-mortem examination was carried out on the man’s body by the assistant state pathologist, Dr Margot Bolster.

The internal HSE probe will be seeking to establish when the man died and if he died as the ambulance was responding to his call.

The HSE, meanwhile, declined to comment on the matter and could only confirm that an investigation was taking place.