Alcohol played key role in deadly house fire

ALCOHOL played a key role in the death of a woman in a house fire in Cork last year, an inquest heard yesterday.

Cork Coroner’s Court was told that Mary Casey, 57, of Mary Aikenhead Place, had more than the average person’s fatal dose of alcohol in her system when she died following the fire at Margaret McCarthy’s house on St Enda’s Road, Gurranabraher, on November 22. Ms Casey died at the scene while Ms McCarthy was pulled unconscious from the blaze. She told the court she remembers little about the night.

A post mortem established that Ms Casey had 388 milligrams of alcohol in her system. Assistant State pathologist, Dr Margaret Bolster, said 350 milligrams of alcohol is a fatal dose for an average person.

It was probable that both women fell asleep after drinking and were overcome by smoke.

Dr Bolster said the cause of death was acute carbon monoxide poisoning due to smoke inhalation in association with acute intoxication.

The court heard how Ms Casey called to Ms McCarthy’s house at about 5pm on the night with a large bottle of vodka and two packets of cigarettes.

The friends began smoking and drinking in the downstairs front room of the house.

Next door neighbour, Mary Meegan, said she detected a smell of smoke at about 9:15pm, went outside and saw smoke billowing from the front window of McCarthy’s. She immediately dialled 999.

Ms McCarthy’s daughter, Linda, told the court that she entered the house with gardaí and dragged her mother out of the burning building. Fire fighters then broke the front window and recovered Ms Casey’s body.

Mr Coughlan said the fire had started in a corner of a couch.

Coroner, Dr Myra Cullinane, said it must have been a naked flame, like a candle or cigarette.