A Donegal father of three, who lived with his wife in Derry, suffered an immediate death following an explosion and fire that ripped through a holiday home, an inquest heard today.
Jeffrey McLaughlin, who was originally from Carndonagh, died following a fire in a house at Carnmalin, Malin Head, Co. Donegal, on October 31st. 2014.
Today the jury at the coroner's court in Carndonagh returned a verdict of accidental death my misadventure.
Mr. McLaughlin was well known in Inishowen and had two opticians businesses, one in Carndonagh and one in Buncrana. He was also well known in athletics circles.
The inquest, which was held over three days, heard evidence of how he had left his home at 26 Mansfield Grove, Ballyarnett, Derry, on Halloween night, following a family dispute.
The jury heard evidence of how one person who lived near the holiday home had heard a "massive explosion."
The fire crews from Carndonagh had to call for support from Buncrana to fight the fire which gutted the building and left just one gable wall standing. Debris was spread over a considerable distance, with some ending up in a tree.
Gardai cordoned off the area and a major investigation was launched, with expert ballistic and forensic assistance sought.
Mr. McLaughlin's Nissan Juke was located 317 metres away from the property, and was found to have had a false Republic of Ireland registration plate over a valid Northern Ireland numberplate.
The jury heard that Mr. McLaughlin's body was found near the back door.
Supt. Kevin English stated that there had been evidence of extensive dousing of an accelerant found within the house, and that the deceased had been found with an unusual lighter in his possession.
Dr. Barbara Buchanan, a specialist in the analysis of accelerants, told the inquest that she had examined items of clothing from the deceased which contained "partly evaporated petrol vapour."
Assistant State Pathologist, Dr. Margaret Anne Bolster, in her deposition, said that Mr. McLaughlin's death "would have been immediate."
The deceased suffered multiple injuries with laceration to the lungs and liver and damage to the spinal chord.
"His death would have been consistent with blast type injuries," she said.
The inquest also heard that Mr. McLaughlin's wife, Martina, had been informed of the fire at the holiday home by the PSNI.
However, it was not until the Saturday morning that Mrs. McLaughin first heard that a body had been found at the house, This was subsequently confirmed to her when she went to Carndonagh garda station.
The jury of six took just over six minutes to reach its verdict.
Sympathy was extended to the McLaughlin family on their loss by members of the gardai, legal representatives, and by the foreman of the jury as well as by the coroner, Dr. John Madden.
Photo: The holiday home that was gutted by fire and where Mr. McLaughlin lost his life.
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