Peter died in digger accident at quarry
The inquest into a Ballycanew man who died in a digger accident at a quarry was adjourned at Wexford Coroner’s Court last Thursday.
The Coroner said he would be adjourning the inquest of Peter Andrew Byrne after medical and identification evidence was given until an inquiry surrounding Mr Byrne’s death was completed. Mr Byrne (45) of 53, Ballycanew Court, Ballycanew died at Casey’s Quarry, Gorey on April 1, 2016 during a workplace accident.
Sgt Colm Matthews said that when he arrived at the quarry he met with an owner who said that at 3 p.m. they had carried out a controlled blast at the quarry. When the area was being cleared at 3.15 p.m. the rock face fell on two machines, covering one of them.
Sgt Matthews said that the driver of one of the diggers, Richard Molloy, had managed to escape the cab of his machine. However Mr Byrne’s machine was totally covered. After three hours of digging, Mr Byrne’s body was recovered.
Mr Byrne was identified by his partner Katja Shaw.
Pathologist at Waterford Hospital, Dr Rob Landers, said the cause of death was mechanical asphyxia due to intense congestion consistent with an accident. He said that mechanical asphyxia meant Mr Byrne had died because he couldn’t breathe due to the pressure of the stone on his chest, adding it wouldn’t have been a traumatic death.
Dr Nixon then adjourned the inquest and extended sympathy to Mr Byrne’s partner, friends and family on their ‘very sad and tragic loss’. Foreman of the jury Billy Morris and Inspector Pat McDonald also extended sympathy to Mr Byrne’s family.