Foam system 'not as good as water', fire-fighter tells court
A fire-fighter has said that the new foam system they used to fight a blaze that killed two of his colleagues was not as good as water.
Brian Murray (aged 46) and Mark O’Shaughnessy (aged 26) died fighting a blaze at a disused ink factory at Adelaide Villas in Bray on September 26, 2007.
Wicklow County Council, which runs the fire service, has pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to four charges relating to alleged criminal breaches under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005, between September 1, 2005 and September 26, 2007.
On day eight of the trial, Brian Monaghan gave evidence that he was a part-time fire fighter with Bray Station at the time of the incident.
He told prosecuting counsel Alex Owens SC that he arrived at the scene after Mr Murray and Mr O’Shaughnessy had already entered the burning factory.
He and two colleagues entered using breathing apparatus in an attempt to locate the two men.
Mr Monaghan said that during the search he became separated from his team and got tangled in a wire.
He called for help repeatedly through his breathing mask before another fire-fighter came and freed him.
Mr Monaghan told the court that he was on holidays when the new fire fighting system, the Compressed Air Foam System (CAFS), was delivered to the fire station.
He said he never received any training on this and the first time he used it was at a car fire, before this incident.
He also told counsel that it was “not as good as water”.
The trial continues before Judge Desmond Hogan and a jury of seven men and four women.
