A coroner in Cork has called on people to buy new smoke detectors for their elderly parents this Christmas.
Dr Mary McCaffrey was speaking at the inquest into the deaths of John and Gabrielle O'Donnell at their home in the city earlier this year where a fire broke out. John was aged 83 and Gabrielle was 75.
The inquest heard that the couple received a phone call from their son who told them that they had become grandparents hours before the blaze broke out at the house on Lower Glanmire Road on 4 April.
The house had fire detectors on each of its three storeys, as well as carbon monoxide detectors.
Dr McCaffrey, who is Deputy Coroner for Cork city, issued a general warning about fire safety.
She said that fire deaths and injuries are highest among those aged over 65 and older people face additional risk issues such as instability on their feet and deterioration in hearing, making it harder to hear smoke alarms.
The grant system for detectors should be looked at, Dr McCaffrey said, as well as panic alarm usage amongst the elderly.
She called on people to buy new smoke alarms for their elderly parents this Christmas instead of the "silly" items that are usually gifted.
The inquest, at Cork Coroner’s Court, heard evidence from Colin Hackett, who was a visitor to the O’Donnell home on 4 April.
He said that he called at between 7pm and 7.30pm and stayed until around 9pm. He noted that a few candles were lighting on the table.
A brother of Mrs O'Donnell, Brendan Sexton, called to the couple at about 9.30pm. He said the coal fire in the living room was going out as he was leaving at about 10.20pm.
Mr Sexton said that he was having a drink in a nearby pub shortly afterwards when he was told there was a fire in a house on Lower Glanmire Road. He returned to the house which was "ablaze".
The property, Mr Sexton said, had a modern cast iron gas heater but when he initially left the home that night, Mr O'Donnell told him that the old gas fire was lighting.
He said that while he was in the house Gabrielle O'Donnell answered the phone to a relative who was offering congratulations on the birth of their grandchild.
Mr Sexton said the couple were "quite happy and joyful".
Mark O’Donnell, a son of the deceased, said that while his mother liked candles she had taken to replacing them with battery versions.
He told the coroner that his parents were safety conscious and had smoke detectors on each floor. They also had carbon monoxide detectors.
Mark said that he was in touch with his parents that day as he and his wife had a new baby.
He had called his parents from his home in Qatar to tell them that his wife Grace had given birth to a girl.
The coroner and Garda Sergeant Fergus Twomey commended motorist, Alan Lyne, who spotted the fire while passing in his car, raised the alarm and managed to evacuate neighbouring properties.
Mr Lyne said that it was not possible to gain entry to the O'Donnell house because of the intensity of the fire.
Scenes of Crime investigator Orla Punch said the blaze was extensive and gardaí were unable to determine the cause of the fire.
Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster carried out post-mortem examinations on the couple.
She said that Gabrielle died of acute carbon monoxide poisoning due to smoke inhalation.
John's post-mortem indicated that he had died suddenly of a heart episode before the fire broke out.
A verdict of natural causes was recorded in relation to the death of John O’Donnell while Gabrielle's was a case of accidental death.
