Coroner’s safety plea at inquest into mechanic crushed by car when jack slipped

A MECHANIC who died from chest injuries caused when the car he was working on fell on him might have been saved if he hadn’t been alone, an inquest has heard.

The parents and partner of Richard Harron (26) from Newtownstewart wept in court as they listened to State Pathologist Professor Jack Crane tell Coroner Patrick McGurgan he would not have died instantly, and he could have been saved.

Mr Harron died on November 13, 2017 after the vehicle came off a hydraulic jack, causing fatal crush asphyxia and chest injuries.

Mr Harron’s partner of five years Lindsey Johnston and mother to the couple’s child told Mr McGurgan her life had been “hell” since the accident.

She told the court Mr Harron had two mechanic jobs, and would also have carried out work for family members “because he never said no” to anyone.

The court heard that he had left his home to go to his grandmother’s house in Sion Mills, where he was going to carry out work on a black Seat car he had bought for parts. He arrived at 7.30pm and spoke with his grandmother before beginning work on the car.

In a statement Mr Harron’s grandmother Cathy Lyndsay said she went out to check on him at 10pm as she was getting ready to go to bed.

She discovered her grandson lying on the ground with the car on top of his chest. Mrs Lyndsay, along with Mr Harron’s father George, ran to her next door neighbour Ian Milligan to get help.

Mr Milligan, who is also a mechanic, came with his own jack and lifted the car off Mr Harron and began CPR along with another man who was with him in his house.

Mr Milligan told the coroner that the ground where Mr Harron had been working was stony and slightly sloped, and that this had actually caused his own jack to sink when trying to lift the black Seat.

Mr McGurgan asked Mr Milligan

Richard Harron with his partner

Lindsey Johnston

if he thought this might have happened with Mr Harron’s jack.

Mr Milligan replied: “I think the jack has sunk a bit and the car rolled off the jack.”

Mr Milligan said he wouldn’t himself have used the device on that ground because “it wasn’t hard enough to take a jack”.

Forensic tests carried out on Mr Harron’s jack showed no defects.

Before returning his findings Mr McGurgan said he wanted to highlight the dangers of carrying out mechanical work alone.

He said: “There is no doubt Richard was a talented young man.

“It struck me that he had been around cars for most of his life.

“This emphasises the need when you are going to perform such a task to ensure all steps have been taken to satisfy yourself that it is completely safe.”

Mr McGurgan said it was a “sad aspect” that Professor Crane’s evidence showed that “if someone had been there and had taken action, he could have been saved.

“But we will never know,” he added.

He said that there was no doubt mechanics work on cars jacked up with no thought as to what might happen. But he wanted Mr Harron’s death to be an important reminder to take every safety precaution.

Mr McGurgan also paid tribute to Mr Milligan.

“It was clear very little could have been done, but that didn’t stop you from trying,” he said.

❝ There is no doubt he was a talented young man, he had been around cars for most of his life

❝ This emphasises the need when you perform such a task to ensure that it is completely safe