‘We are looking at a terrible tragedy. A few millimetres would have made the difference’

‘We are looking at a terrible tragedy. A few millimetres would have made the difference’

22 April 2015

A CORONER has urged caravaners to check their gas cookers after hearing how a tragedy at a Newcastle caravan park could have been averted by “millimetres”.

John Leckey was speaking at an inquest into the deaths of Francie and Nan O’Reilly at Bonny’s caravan park in Newcastle.

The elderly couple were found dead in the living room of the caravan they had lived in for 30 years on January 21 following carbon monoxide poisoning.

Belfast Coroner’s Court heard yesterday that they owned a gas cooker which had been the subject of a number of safety warnings about the risks of carbon monoxide build-up from using the grill with the door closed.

When the couple were found dead, the grill was turned on and the grill door was closed. A gas heater had also been running and the caravan was badly ventilated.

Jim King, a principal inspector with the Health and Safety Executive, told the inquest that having the door even slightly ajar on the cooker would have prevented the gas build up.

“We really are looking at a terrible tragedy,” said Mr. King. “A few millimetres would have made the difference.”

The coroner responded: “The fine line between life and death.”

The problem with the cooker could have been easily fixed by cutting pieces out of the rubber seal on the grill door to allow air in, the health and safety officer went on to say. It was explained that without air the grill flame would extinguish and fumes would then be expelled into the room.

Mr King said there were a number of Beko made appliances subject to product warnings, including the New World Vision 50WLM model owned by the O’Reilly’s. 

While perfectly safe to use when the grill is open as instructed, the door being closed on such cookers have been linked to a number of deaths. He said there had been at least six fatalities across the UK, including one in Northern Ireland.

“We will write to them and let them know another fatality has occurred,” said Mr. King.

The coroner noted that identifying the model number of gas cooker was not always easy.

He also commented: “It would be very easy to inadvertently close the door.”

As councils have responsibility for safety on caravan sites Mr. Leckey asked for safety warnings to be reinforced with the chief executives and individual officers responsible at local authorities. 

“No-one wants a repeat,” he said.

Mr King said he had previously discussed the issue with Down Council and would check the message was not lost in the new council merger.

The court was told that the O’Reilly’s caravan was probably “past its sell-by date” and did not have some of the safety features built in to modern vans or a carbon monoxide alarm.

Emlyn Williamson, manager at the Tullybrannigan Road caravan site, said they did display information relating to health and safety at the site but agreed it would be useful to include the details of potentially unsafe gas cookers in a mailing to residents.

He also said he would look into the coroner’s suggestion of selling carbon monoxide alarms at the site’s shop.

Mr Williamson said they would sometimes make residents aware of new caravans available but avoided any hard sell.

Speaking after the inquest Mr and Mrs O’Reilly’s nephew Vincie Marks said the message needed to go out about the importance of carbon monoxide alarms.

“Vigilance is key,” he said. “It is just a tragedy that could have been prevented.”

A full list of gas appliances subject to a product warning is available on the Health and Safety Executive Northern Ireland website.