Investigations ongoing into Mayo house fire which claimed lives of couple

Investigations are continuing into the cause of a devastating house fire which claimed the lives of a business couple in Swinford last March, an inquest heard today

Tom Mahon (63) and Eileen Mahon (61) died in the early morning blaze which destroyed their home at Deerpark, Swinford.

Inquests into their deaths at Swinford Courthouse were opened and adjourned by the Coroner for the District of Mayo, Pat O’Connor.

Evidence of identification of the bodies was given by Sergeant Conor Drury while pathologist Dr. Fadel Bennani gave evidence of the medical causes of deaths.

The cause of deaths in both cases was given as “severe burns due to a house fire."

Coroner O’Connor adjourned the substantive hearing to a later date pending the outcome of a garda forensic investigation.

Prior to adjournment, the coroner expressed his deepest sympathy to the family of the deceased.

The Mahons’ two daughters, Claire and Pearl, were in court for the brief hearing.

Mr. O’Connor described the circumstances of the deaths as “dreadfully tragic”

“Tom and Eileen were highly respected business people with a high involvement in the community”, the coroner noted.

Sergeant Sean McHale, on behalf of An Garda Siochana, joined in the expression of sympathy to the family and Swinford community.

For many years, the Mahons ran a carpet and furniture store as a family business on the Dublin Road, Swinford.

Their occupations in inquest documentation is described as shop owners.