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No evidence Stardust alcove fire was result of arson, expert tells inquest
Summary
During the Dublin District Coroner's Court inquest into the 1981 Stardust nightclub fire, expert witness Dr Will Hutchinson testified that no accelerant was found and there was no evidence the fire in the west alcove was caused by arson. He explained that the Gardaí investigation had focused on the alcove, where the fire was first seen, and that samples taken over three days revealed no arson‑related substances. Hutchinson noted that witnesses who reported seeing a fire outside the club were observing a separate blaze, likely in the roof space, and that the timing of calls to emergency services supported this. He also discussed the possibility of expanded polystyrene insulation (Polyzote) on heating ducts as a potential fuel source, but confirmed no evidence of deliberate ignition in the alcove. The inquest will resume next Monday.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: No evidence Stardust alcove fire was result of arson, expert tells inquest. Procedural stage: trial
When:
- 2024-01-25 Publication
Why: Mr Guerin said that because Mr Mulholland did not give a statement on this at the time, this element of the data that might have provided a hypothesis about the cause of the fire did not feature at all, and it was not until he gave an account years later that the issue began to be properly considered and tested. CNI source report
Places mentioned
- Rotunda Hospital
Topics
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