Dropped cigarette may have caused fatal fire

A DROPPED cigarette may have caused a fire which claimed the life of a 34-year-old man.

Terry Fitzgerald, who was originally from Ringaskiddy, Co Cork died after fire broke out at an apartment in Mallow, which he was sharing with his partner, Sarah Byrne.

She was recovering from smoke inhalation in Mallow General Hospital yesterday. The 45-year-old was saved by a neighbour who heard screams coming for the apartment at Fairgreen.

Superintendent Pat McCarthy, who is leading the investigation, said that the neighbour kicked down the front door and pulled Ms Byrne, who is originally from Ballyfermot, to safety. The neighbour was unable to reach Mr Fitzgerald who was later found dead in a bedroom.

Other neighbours who tried to reach him were forced back by dense smoke and extreme heat.

The fire broke out at 11.45pm on Wednesday.

“If it had been later and more people were asleep in the apartment block there could have been a greater loss of life,” the superintendent said.

Two fire brigade units from Mallow and one from Kanturk put out the blaze.

Gardaí sealed off the scene and carried out an extensive technical examination.

Superintendent McCarthy said that while the investigation was ongoing foul play was not suspected. He said it was quite possible that the fire was caused by a dropped cigarette.

A post mortem will be carried out today on Mr Fitzgerald’s body by Assistant State Pathologist, Dr Margaret Bolster.