Blaze which claimed man’s life believed accidental
Jonathan O’Keeffe, who was from the city, died after a fire broke out just before 4am on the top floor of a three-storey building at Charlemont Terrace, off Wellington Rd, where he was renting a flat.
The young man was rushed by ambulance to Cork University Hospital but was pronounced dead a short time later.
Garda forensic experts and fire officers spent several hours yesterday conducting a technical examination of the scene.
A Garda spokesman said nothing of a suspicious nature had been found and pending the outcome of a number of forensic tests, they are treating the blaze as accidental.
The alarm was raised just before 4am. Four units of Cork City fire brigade and three HSE ambulances responded.
Third officer Declan O’Shea said services were on the scene within five minutes but there was already an intense fire raging on the top floor of the building, which is subdivided into several flats.
Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus entered the building and helped lead five people to safety.
It is believed those rescued were the occupants of some of the other flats or bed-sits in the building.
The firefighters were aware that a sixth person was inside and when they searched the top floor, they found Mr O’Keeffe un-conscious in a bathroom where he had apparently been overcome by smoke.
They carried him outside where he was treated by advanced paramedics before being rushed to CUH. He was pronounced dead a short time later.
The fire was brought under control relatively quickly and the last unit of the fire service left the scene at 8.15am.
An autopsy took place yesterday to establish the exact cause of death.
A file will be prepared for the coroner’s court in due course.
