Boy, 5, dies after fireplace falls on him in tragic accident at family home

A 5-year-old boy died after a fireplace fell on him in the family home yesterday — the second fatal accident of its kind involving a child in the Cork area in recent years.

The little boy, named locally as Fionn Dawson, suffered fatal injuries in the tragic accident as he played in the home in Coolgreen, White’s Cross, on the northern outskirts of Cork City, shortly before 2pm.

The emergency services rushed to the two-storey house where they found Fionn in a critical condition.

He was treated at the scene before being rushed by ambulance to Cork University Hospital where, despite intense medical efforts, he was pronounced dead a short time later.

Experienced paramedics and gardaí who were first on the scene were said to have been very distressed by the harrowing scenes inside the house, and medical workers battled to save him.

Gardaí are investigating all the circumstances surrounding the incident but a Garda spokesman said they are treating it as a “tragic accident”.

The house was sealed off for a technical examination — the details of which will be included in a file now being prepared for the coroner’s court.

The little boy’s distraught parents, Anita and Cormac, who have a younger son and daughter, were being comforted by family and friends last night.

Glanmire curate, Fr Ted Sheehan, a family friend who has baptised several members of the family, said there are no words to express the devastation of losing a child.

“This is just such a terrible tragedy — it’s heartbreaking. Words can’t express the sympathy we all have for the family.

“But they have a lot of relations living close by, the community is very caring and there are a lot of good neighbours who I know will be very supportive.”

The little boy’s grandfather, Pat, who lives nearby, is a former Cork city councillor who ran a successful shop in Ballyphehane, as well as a newspaper and magazine distribution business, before it was taken over by one of his sons, Edward.

One of the family neighbours, former county councillor Donal O’Connell, who worked with Pat Dawson when they were both involved in politics, said the tragedy had left the tight-knit community in shock.

“They are a very nice and very well-respected family. This is just such an awful accident,” he said.

The circumstances of Fionn’s death bear some tragic similarities to the accidental death of a child in Cork three years ago.

A 6-year-old girl suffered fatal head injuries when she accidentally pulled a wooden fireplace down on top of her in her family home on Bere Island in 2010.

The fireplace had been resting against a wall while a boiler was being installed.