Inquest into hotel CO poisoning adjourned

THE Health and Safety Authority (HSA) is still investigating the circumstances which led to the death of a young woman from carbon monoxide poisoning in a Cork hotel.

The inquest into the death of Miriam Reidy, 35, in Kinsale’s Trident Hotel last January, was adjourned this week pending the completion of the HSA probe.

The inquest into Ms Reidy’s death, which was opened last June, established that she died from acute carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning in a room in the Trident Hotel on January 9 last.

Ms Reidy, who was originally from Ballyhahill in Co Limerick, but who had an address at 16 Sunday’s Well, Lisloose, Tralee, Co Kerry, had been at a hen party in Kinsale and was sharing room 113 with her sister Patricia.

Gardaí were called to the scene where they found her body. She was pronounced dead at 2.45pm.

Assistant state pathologist, Dr Margaret Bolster, conducted the postmortem and told the inquest that, in her opinion, Ms Reidy died from acute carbon monoxide poisoning.

Blood tests revealed a COHb blood saturation level of 57%.

Levels between 10% and 30% can cause headaches, dizziness and fatigue, but experts say levels of 50% and over can lead to loss of consciousness, collapse, convulsions, coma, and death.

Gardaí called in experts from Britain to assist them in what they described as a detailed and technical investigation.

The inquest was adjourned to allow time for the HSA investigations to be complete.

The inquest was mentioned before coroner, Frank O’Connell, this week and gardaí applied for an adjournment because the investigations are ongoing.

Mr O’Connell agreed to mention the inquest again in the new year to get an update on the progress of the probes.