A MAN suffered extensive burns last year after his clothes went on fire in the smoking area of a HSE -run psychiatric facility in Limerick, an inquest has heard.
Percy Ryan (68), Knockballyfookeen, Pallasgreen, Co Limerick, went into the smoking hut at O’Connell House, Newcastle West, on July 22nd, 2011. At 2.10pm, nursing staff heard shouts coming from the hut and found Mr Ryan, who was a smoker, on fire. Nurses extinguished the flames.
Mr Ryan, who had an intellectual disability and who had been at the high-dependency unit since the previous January, was taken to hospital in Limerick. He died on August 7th, 2011.
Cork Coroner’s Court heard that an investigation team made some recommendations, including that there be greater supervision of people at risk of harm from smoking. A jury returned a verdict of accidental death.