Student died of serious head injuries after ‘freak’ fall on stairs
Inquest hears four friends fell into one another like dominoes
A CO GALWAY student died in a “freak” fall from stairs at a house party two years ago, her inquest heard yesterday.
Sophie Coll (19) from Barna, a second-year student at University of Limerick (UL), was climbing the stairs with three friends when one of them “slipped”, resulting in the group falling down like “dominoes”.
Ms Coll was the only one who was injured, and suffered a fatal skull fracture when her head hit a tiled floor, Limerick Coroner’s Court heard.
The accident happened at a house in Stanford Close, near UL, on September 25, 2017.
The court heard the students had consumed a few “cans of beer” on the night but they were not inebriated.
An ambulance, which was dispatched from Tipperary, reached the house within 40 minutes after receiving the emergency call.
Pathologist Dr Gabor Laskai said that due to Ms Coll’s “very severe” injuries, nothing could have been done to save her.
Advanced paramedic Dan New said he and a colleague spent 20 minutes giving emergency first aid to Ms Coll after they arrived at the house.
A neck collar was also applied.
He stated Ms Coll was “completely unresponsive” when she was transferred by ambulance to University Hospital Limerick, where she was pronounced dead the following evening.
The young student’s parents had been travelling in France at the time of their daughter’s fatal fall.
Her injuries were “not compatible with life” despite further attempts by doctors to resuscitate her, and her family agreed to donate her organs to help give life to others, it was heard.
Limerick Coroner Dr John McNamara described the evidence as “extremely harrowing”. “It is clear alcohol wasn’t a factor. It was early in the evening and [Ms Coll’s] friends said very little alcohol had been consumed.
“It sounds like a freak accident as four young people were climbing a stairs.”
Dr McNamara said the four friends had fallen into one another like a “domino effect”.
“It’s very tragic. Sophie was a young lady with her whole life ahead of her,” he added.
Returning a verdict of accidental death due to a severe skull fracture, he expressed his sympathies to Ms Coll’s loved ones and friends.
Rory Coll thanked paramedics, hospital staff and gardaí. Speaking after the inquest, Mr Coll said his family had organised Sophie’s Ball, a fundraising ball set up in memory of Sophie, with proceeds going to Anam Cara, a support group for parents following bereavement; the Organ Donor Garden, Salthill; and Coláiste Iognáid, Galway, where Sophie had attended.