Man who fell through a roof told his colleague: ‘I’ll be grand with some air’

A MAN who suffered multiple injuries and later died after he fell through the roof of a hay barn told his colleague: ‘If I get some fresh air I’ll be grand.’

James Culloty, 63, was repairing a corrugated roof on a lean-to when he fell through a piece of plastic Perspex.

His co-worker told his inquest yesterday that the married father of two from Waterloo, Mallow, Co. Cork, was walking on the roof when ‘all of a sudden he was gone’.

Garda Paul Manton of Glantane Garda Station said Mr Culloty fell 2.6metres onto a raised galvanised pipe railing in the shed, before landing on the ground. The railing was around 4ft off the ground, Dublin Coroner’s Court heard.

Donal O’Riordan said he had hired Mr Culloty to carry out the repairs to the roof of the hay barn near Banteer, Co. Cork. Mr Culloty and his colleague Patrick O’Sullivan started the job on August 29, 2016. He said the accident happened at 4.30pm. ‘I didn’t see it, I just heard the bang,’ Mr O’Sullivan said.

He went down to find Mr Culloty on his knees. ‘He said, “If I get some fresh air I’ll be grand,”’ Mr O’Sullivan said, but he was concerned. He encouraged him to call a local nurse who in turn called an ambulance.

He was transferred to Cork University Hospital, where he was diagnosed with severe chest injuries including multiple fractured ribs, a left kidney injury, a fractured left hip and fractured breast bone. He suffered a collapsed lung and had lung disease due to smoking.

Mr Culloty was transferred to the Mater Hospital, where he suffered a stroke and died on September 6, 2016.

Cause of death was due to the injuries sustained from the fall, with a clot and a stroke as contributory factors. Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane returned a verdict of accidental death.