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'We promised her Mammy that she'd come home': survivor tells Stardust inquest of death of pregnant friend
Summary
During the Stardust inquest, Patricia O'Connor recounted how her friend Caroline Carey, who was pregnant, was initially not allowed to attend the club but was permitted after her mother's appeal, on condition she return home after the dance competition. O'Connor described the chaos as the lights went out, flames and smoke engulfed the club, and she struggled to escape, sustaining third‑degree burns over 52% of her body. She recalled hearing frantic cries for help, the doors being locked and chained, and the eventual opening from the outside. Witnesses testified to the thick smoke, the collapse of the ceiling, and the desperate attempts to rescue trapped patrons. The testimony highlighted the terrifying conditions and the tragic loss of 48 young lives on Valentine's Day 1981.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: 'We promised her Mammy that she'd come home': survivor tells Stardust inquest of death of pregnant friend. Procedural stage: trial
When:
- 2023-11-27 Publication
Why: A Stardust survivor has told an inquest how her friend who died in the fire was not supposed to attend the club that night and how she could not walk down the road where she lived for a decade afterwards because "we promised her Mammy that she'd come home". CNI source report
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