An open verdict was recorded by the Dublin city coroner at an inquest on a man found after a house fire who had taken a drug overdose.
The man had been dead a number of hours before his badly burned body was discovered by the emergency services, an inquest has heard.
Charles Madden (72), of St Anne's Avenue, Raheny, died of carbon monoxide poisoning due to smoke inhalation at his home on January 23rd, 2006, Dublin City Coroner's Court heard yesterday.
The court heard that the fire, which broke out in the back bedroom of Mr Madden's house, was a slow-burning one and had started hours before Mr Madden's neighbour, Dermot Heron, noticed smoke coming from under the gutters at the back of the house after 11am on January 23rd and called Dublin Fire Brigade.
When the Kilbarrack Fire Brigade arrived on the scene the fire, which the court heard was believed to have started from a lit candle or cigar, had eaten through some of the floorboards in the back bedroom and in the adjoining bathroom and caused the ceiling to collapse.
A toxicology screening revealed that Mr Madden had taken a multiple drug overdose with lethal levels of both codeine-based painkiller and an anti-depressant in his bloodstream at the time of his death.
The cause of death was recorded as carbon monoxide poisoning due to smoke inhalation, with severe burns present.
Coroner Dr Brian Farrell told the inquest into Mr Madden's death that the toxicololgy screening revealed an unusual finding "we hadn't expected" and said he would have to record an open verdict.
"I don't know whether Mr Madden took an overdose with the intention of taking his own life and then collapsed. I don't know how the fire started. It's all speculation. I don't know if this was an accident."