MYSTERY OVER IRISH OAP FIREBALL DEATH
John Nolan MYSTERY still surrounds the death of an Irish pensioner who was found on fire in the middle of a London street.
Retired construction worker John Nolan was discovered in flames in Tottenham at 1pm on Sunday, September 17.
The 70-year-old was airlifted to hospital but later died from “severe burns”. Members of the public had tried to help and firefighters managed to put out the blaze in Orchard Place, North London.
But detectives are still baffled about how Mr Nolan was set alight.
London Fire Brigade said they found no accelerant on his body meaning he wasn’t doused in petrol or another flammable liquid.
A postmortem gave cause of death as “severe burns” and an inquest is to take place in March.
Mr Nolan was originally from Co Mayo and living in a flat close to where he was found on fire.
His brother and carer Jimmy Nolan, 68, a builder who also lives in London, appealed for information about the death.
In September he told the Hackney Gazette: “I was in awful shock. I couldn’t believe what had happened. We don’t know what happened.”
Detectives are continuing to investigate but no arrests have been made and his death is being treated as unexplained.
An officer said: “We have spoken with a number of witnesses who saw Mr Nolan ablaze, but we have yet to establish how the fire started.”