Courts / Dublin / Report

Stardust inquest hears of three possible origins for fire

Summary

During the Stardust inquest, Dr Will Hutchinson, a fire investigator with 23 years of experience, presented expert testimony on possible origins of the nightclub fire. He suggested the fire could have started in a hot press, where electrical connections to immersion heaters may have had issues, or in the West alcove, where carpet tiles on the walls were a critical factor in rapid spread. He noted no evidence of resistive heating at a West alcove socket and no fuel in the ceiling void, making a fire there unlikely. The expert reviewed video recreations and expert reports, highlighting the role of carpet tiles in spontaneous ignition of seats and the rapid development of thick black smoke. He concluded that, due to severe damage and conflicting witness evidence, the exact area of origin could not be determined with certainty. The inquest will continue tomorrow.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Stardust inquest hears of three possible origins for fire. Procedural stage: trial

When:

• 2024-01-23 Publication

Why: However, he also told the jury that he is unable to determine "with any certainty" the area of origin of the fire in the Stardust nightclub because of the severe fire damage to the building and the conflicting witness evidence available. CNI source report

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Trial

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Read the original CNI report