An expert in forensic pathology has told the Stardust inquests that any delay in exiting the "highly toxic environment" of the burning building would have increased the chances of death.
Consultant forensic pathologist Dr Richard Shepherd was giving evidence today at the hearings into the deaths of the 48 people who died in the 1981 St Valetine's Day at the Artane nightclub.
The inquests are continuing to hear evidence on how the victims of the disaster died, the extent of their injuries, and how their remains were identified.
The Dublin District Coroner's Court was told that 18-year-old Jacqueline Croker was identified at the morgue in Dublin city on the afternoon of Saturday 14 February, hours after fire, by her fiancé who recognised her engagement ring that she had been wearing.
The inquests heard he had last seen her on the Friday night as she was driven to the club.
Detailing her last movements, Dr Richard Shepherd, said Ms Croker was last seen alive inside the club as she ran across an aisle of seats before tripping and falling.
Dr Shepherd gave her cause of death as rapid incapacitation due to inhalation of fire fumes and heat.
The court heard that 18-year-old Liam Dunne had survived for 25 days in hospital before he died from his injuries.
The inquests were told he died as a result of complications from burns and the inhalation of fire fumes.
The court also heard that Thelma Frazer, 20, and her boyfriend, Michael Farrell, 26, both died from incapacitation due to the inhalation of fire fumes and heat.
Their exact location inside the club when the fire became visible, the court heard today, is not recorded.
Thelma Frazer was identified using her dental records and by her brother who confirmed a watch and chain was hers.
Michael Farrell was identified by his sister from the silver digital watch and bracelet he had been wearing.
He was 26 years old when he died.
The court heard how his sister had seen him a couple of days before the fire and said he had been in good health.
The inquests were also told that the identification of Michael Ffrench's remains was confirmed, decades after the fire, in 2007 through DNA. He was 18 when he died.
The court heard how Mr Ffrench arrived to the Stardust that night shortly after 11pm with friends. He was last seen alive on the dancefloor.
He had sustained significant burns to his body, and the court was told his cause of death was rapid incapacitation due to inhalation of fire fumes and heat.
The inquests were told that 16-year-old Josephine Glen survived in Jervis St hospital for five days before she died.
Her brother, who was one year older, formally identified her body at the city morgue.
The inquests heard her cause of death was from complications from the inhalation of fire fumes.
The jury was told that 21-year-old Brian Hobbs' remains were identified from his clothes by his brother and that his cause of death was rapid incapacitation due to inhalation of fire fumes and heat.
Michael O'Higgins, SC, told the court that the family of Brian Hobbs were unaware that he was attending club on the night in question. He had gone after work.
The cause of death for 24-year-old Eugene Hogan was given as rapid incapacitation due to the inhalation of fire fumes and heat.
The court also heard that Mr Hogan’s brother formally identified his remains by a photo of a tattoo and by the jewellery he was wearing.
He had gone to the Stardust that night with his wife and others. He was last seen in the club when the fire became visible as he went to get their coats.
Murty Kavanagh's remains were confirmed as his in 2007 through DNA testing.
The court heard the 27-year-old was his father’s carer at the time of the 1981 fire.
His girlfriend, Margaret Thornton, also died in the fire.
His cause of death was given as rapid incapacitation due to the inhalation of fire fumes and heat.
The court was told that Robert Kelly had just turned 17 the month before he died in the fire. He was identified using dental records.
He was last seen alive on the dancefloor. The cause of his death, the court heard, was rapid incapacitation due to the inhalation of fire fumes and heat.
The jury also heard that 18-year-old David Flood had initially been asleep before he made his way with "some purpose" to an area that wasn’t burning at the main bar.
Michael O’Higgins, representing the Flood family, said but for the noxious gases it might have been a "safe refuge".
