House-hunter contracted Legionnaires' from hot tub
An elderly man who died from Legionnaires’ Disease contracted it from a hot tub in a house he was viewing, an inquest heard today.
Robert Brophy, 69, from Woodstown Rise, Woodstown Village, Knocklyon in Dublin visited the house on March 7, 2003 which he hoped to buy for his family.
The estate agent brought him and his wife to the deck area at the rear of the house and took the cover off the hot tub.
The inquest at Dublin Coroners’ Court heard that Mr Brophy put his hand into the tub to see how hot it was and said “God, that’s fantastic”.
Coroner Dr Brian Farrell heard medical evidence which proved that samples from the hot tub had tested positive for Legionnaires’ Disease. He returned a verdict of death by misadventure.
After visiting the house in Cunningham Drive, Dalkey, Mr Brophy began to feel very unwell five days later.
His wife Sylvia told the inquest that he had visited his GP who prescribed him antibiotics.
His condition deteriorated and after ringing the GP once again, Mr Brophy went to Tallaght Hospital on Saturday March 15.
