Fire experts to give evidence at Stardust inquests
Pa Nightclub The The 14/02/1981 Dated Dublin File Scene Of The In At Photo Fire After Wire Picture: Stardust
Fire experts are due to begin giving evidence on Monday as the Stardust inquests enter a crucial late phase of proceedings.
Having now sat for well over 100 days, the inquests are nearing their conclusion. Last week heard details of the pathology reports of each of the 48 victims of the Stardust fire. The original Keane Tribunal into the fire in 1981 sat for 122 days.
At the close of proceedings Wednesday, Dublin city coroner Dr Myra Cullinane highlighted how significant this evidence was before turning to the fire experts.
She said: “The evidence we have been hearing reveals how unbearably distressing the identification process must have been for each of the bereaved families, complicated as it was in many cases with fire damage to the remains, such as that it was only permitted that identification could take place by way of viewing jewellery, property, and clothing."
She said that in most cases, the pathologists confirmed that the noxious environment in the nightclub during the fire would have led to very rapid unconsciousness and unawareness.
In the early hours of February 14, 1981, at a St Valentine’s Day disco in north Dublin’s Stardust club, a fire quickly swept through the venue which had over 800 young people in attendance. In all, 48 people lost their lives. The average age of the deceased was just 19.
In granting new inquests for those who died, the Attorney General said there was an “insufficiency of inquiry” at the original inquests as to how their deaths occurred.
As par of her scope for these fresh inquests, Dr Cullinane said that there “could be no doubt that [where and how the fire started] is a meter that needs to re-investigated".
“It is therefore appropriate to investigate in detail the question of how the fire progressed from its original location,” she said. “Accordingly, I am satisfied that this is not a question that has been satisfactorily determined and that none of the findings in this regard may be ‘taken as read’.”
Although they have yet to begin their evidence, the inquests have already heard details of what will be contained in these reports.
When Eamon Butterly, the manager of the Stardust at the time of the fire in 1981, whose family owned the premises, was in the witness box, excerpts of draft reports from these experts were put to him.
This included reports from both experts commissioned by the coroner and the families’ legal teams.
Both suggested that the carpet tiles used on the walls of the Stardust had an important role to play in the spread of the fire.
In one case, an expert said the carpet tiles “significantly reduced the time available” for occupants to escape the Stardust and the tiles on the wall “significantly contributed to the rapid spread of fire”.
At the close of the evidence at inquests, the 13-person jury will then be directed by the coroner as to how they must consider make findings related to the fire and its circumstances before coming back with their verdicts.