Teenage plumber dies in house blaze

GARDA forensic experts are trying to establish the cause of a blaze which claimed the life of an 18-year-old apprentice plumber.

Mark Hutchinson, of Crossogue, Bantry, Co Cork, was removed from an upstairs room in a two storey terraced house in Cork City shortly after 4.30am yesterday morning by a local fire brigade unit.

He was rushed to Cork University Hospital suffering from acute smoke inhalation, but later died.

Neighbour Frank Murphy said the young man’s friend, a 20-year-old apprentice, banged on his front door and asked him to contact the emergency services.

“It was all smoke at the time, I didn’t see any flames. He came out and banged on my door, but I was already awake and smelt the smoke. I called the fire brigade,” said Mr Murphy.

He said he didn’t know either of the men: “They were very quite lads who kept themselves to themselves. You’d hardly know they were there. It’s a terrible tragedy.”

It is believed the deceased came from the Bantry area of West Cork. His friend, also believed to be a West Cork man, was taken by ambulance to Cork University Hospital suffering from smoke inhalation.

His condition is not life-threatening. Both men had been living in the terraced house at 23 Maiville Terrace, Turner’s Cross, for some time.

Three units of the fire brigade from Anglesea Street attended the scene as did garda forensic experts who are still trying to establish the cause of the fire which is not thought to be suspicious.

A postmortem was carried out on the teenager at Cork University Hospital by pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster.

The National Safety Council said 53 people died from fires in Ireland last year, many of whom were overcome by smoke rather than heat.

The majority of fires started at night when people were asleep.