Death of student may be linked to faulty gas cooker

GARDAÍ investigating the death of a young student in Co Cork believe he may have been overcome by gas from a faulty new cooker.

The 21-year-old Cork Institute of Technology student was discovered dead by his girlfriend at his rented flat at Sleaveen East, Macroom, on November 8 last.

She noticed a smell of gas, and gardaí who were called to the scene sealed off the flat for a number of days while they carried out detailed technical examinations.

The body of the student, who has not been named, but was from France, was taken to Cork University Hospital.

A postmortem carried out by Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster indicated that the architectural student had been overcome by carbon monoxide.

Gardaí suspicions were already aroused, but the postmortem results compounded their fears that the cooker was the cause.

A Garda source said that local coroner Dr Frank O’Connell had asked them to organise a number of tests.

“Preliminary tests were carried out by Bord Gáis and the National Consumer Agency.

“The cooker is to be sent for an in-depth, independent analysis at a specialist institute in France next week,” the Garda source said.

It is likely to take a couple of weeks before the results of the tests are known.

The make of the cooker has not been made known by gardaí.

However, if it is proved faulty by the French institute further questions will have to be asked.

If it is a case that there is a design fault common to all similar models, the manufacturers will have no choice but to recall the cookers.

Gardaí are continuing to liaise with Bord Gáis and National Consumer Agency experts as they prepare their file for the coroner.

It is likely the student’s inquest will take place early next year.