Courts / Dublin / Report
Fireman tells Stardust inquest of finding bodies with 'arms around each other'
Summary
During the Stardust inquest, a fireman recounted finding two young victims whose bodies were "fused together" with their arms around each other, suggesting they were trying to comfort one another before dying. He described the chaotic rescue, noting that the operation was largely a "free for all" focused on getting people out. He reported discovering a pile of bodies in a room behind the stage, believing the top three or four were still alive when he assisted them out, and that these were the last people rescued alive that night. He also found a torso behind exit five and brought it to an ambulance. The testimony highlighted the urgency, the difficulty of removing bodies from the burning building, and the lack of formal communication, with crews relying on word of mouth. The account was given in the context of the 1981 fire that claimed 48 lives.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Fireman tells Stardust inquest of finding bodies with 'arms around each other'. Procedural stage: trial
When:
- February 14, 1981 Other
- January 1973 Other
- 2023-12-05 Publication
Why: "I remember saying to the driver be careful we don't knock them down because they were just literally milling around…they were in an awful state," he said. CNI source report
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