Stardust fire could have started unnoticed in hot press

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

The Stardust fire could have started unnoticed in the main bar’s hot press, Dublin coroner’s court heard on 30 January 2024. The fire killed 48 people at the Artane ballroom in 1981.

Dr Will Hutchinson, a forensic scientist and fire investigator, said a fire in the cabinet could rise into the ceiling void like a chimney, taking heat and smoke with it. It could develop for several minutes without sound, while music might mask any noise.

Hutchinson said he was suggesting the fire started in the hot press and spread through the ceiling void to the west alcove, where it was first observed. He could not give a fixed time frame.

The inquests into the deaths of 48 people continue.