A father of three doused himself in petrol and set himself alight in the office of solicitors representing his wife because he believed they was trying to take his children away from him, an inquest heard yesterday.
John Harnedy (44), from Rineen, Union Hall, Co Cork, walked into the reception of Wolfe and Co Solicitors in Market Street, Skibbereen, at 10.45 a.m. on May 24th this year. He then doused himself in petrol and set himself alight, Cork City Coroners' Court heard yesterday.
A member of Skibbereen fire brigade, Mr Gary Minihane, told the inquest that he spoke to Mr Harnedy after giving him oxygen and applying burns gel to his body while waiting for an ambulance. Mr Harnedy said: "They are trying to take my kids away from me - that's why I did it."
Mr Phillip Coffey, a solicitor from Noonan, Linehan, Carroll, Coffey, said they had represented Mr Harnedy in a family law matter and were satisfied that Wolfe and Co Solicitors, who represented his wife, Catherine, had acted appropriately at all times.
The inquest heard that Mr Harnedy came into the reception at around 10.45 a.m., started spilling liquid from a container and took out a box of matches.
A legal secretary, Ms Maria O'Donovan, approached him, and he told her to clear the building.
Ms O'Donovan went into a back office to alert other staff, and when she looked out she saw flames in the reception but could not see Mr Harnedy. The fire alarms went off, and staff came downstairs to try to assist Mr Harnedy.
Mr Joseph McCarthy and Mr Kevin O'Flynn, partners in the firm, told how they joined an accountant, Mr Alan Coombs, in using fire extinguishers to quench the flames on Mr Harnedy, who was lying on the floor.
Mr McCarthy spoke to him to say that help was on the way. Mr Harnedy asked Mr McCarthy who he was, and he told him he was a partner in the firm.
"He said to me: 'This office cost me my wife and my children'. I'm not sure if he said 'cost me' or 'lost me'," said Mr McCarthy.
Mr Coombs told gardaí that Mr Harnedy told him to leave him alone as he wanted to die. Mr Minihane said Mr Harnedy also told him he wanted to die.
The Assistant State Pathologist, Dr Margaret Bolster, said she carried out a post-mortem on Mr Harnedy - he died at Cork University Hospital later that night - and found that he had died from burns in association with smoke inhalation and bronchial pneumonia.
The jury returned an open verdict, and the Cork city coroner, Dr Myra Cullinane, extended her sympathies to Mr Harnedy's family. Condolences were also expressed to the family on behalf of Wolfe & Co Solicitors.
Mr Coffey said Mr Harnedy's mother, Anne, and sister, Ms Mary O'Mahony, were extremely grateful to the emergency services in Skibbereen, the Garda and to all the staff at Wolfe & Co for their efforts.
