Local residents saw flames from Stardust roof, inquests hear

The Stardust Inquests have heard how residents living near the club saw flames coming from the roof around the same time the court has previously been told that the fire was first seen inside the ballroom.

The hearings into the 48 deaths in the 1981 disaster continued today on what was day 79 of these fresh inquests.

The Dublin District Coroner's Court was told that Brenda Kelly, who lived in a housing estate behind the Stardust complex, was woken up by "crackling" noises and "little explosions" in the early hours of Saturday 14 February.

In court today she recalled looking out her window and could see flames and the sky was a "red glow".

The court heard how she was watching the smoke and flames for around five minutes and then went downstairs to call 999 because at that stage she had not heard any sirens.

The court heard how she dialled 999 at 1.43am to report the fire and was asked by the person who picked up if it was the Stardust.

She agreed with Brenda Campbell, KC, representing families of the victims that from "working backwards", she was up and aware of the fire around 1.38am.

The inquests have previously heard how the fire was first seen inside the ballroom at approximately 1.40am in the partitioned area known as the west alcove, with many witnesses describing it initially as being small.

Anthony Pasquetti, who also lived nearby, told the court today he saw flames coming from the nightclub after he arrived home in his car at approximately 1.35am.

He had been out socialising that night with his girlfriend who he had dropped home at 1.30am. The court heard how his home was a five-minute drive away.

The inquests were told that he could hear "crackling" noises and he then looked out an upstairs bedroom window and "saw flames coming from the roof" of the nightclub.

'Emergency exit was locked'

The inquests also heard how an emergency exit was locked with a padlock and chain as people were trying to get out of the burning building.

Anthony McDonald, who was assisting the DJs on the night of the fire in February 1981, was 18-years-old at the time.

He told the Dublin District Coroner's Court that when he first reached Exit 3, there were two girls there and they told him the exit was locked.

The court heard how he first tried to push down on the bars but to no avail. He then held the chain and lock in his hand to see if it would unwrap but it didn't.

"That lock was locked on that door, 100%," he told the inquest.

The court also heard how he had been familiar with the practice of the chains being wrapped around the bar to give the impression they were locked.

The inquests heard how he then kicked the door before he was joined by others who did the same.

He said he and a group of "four or five lads" kicked the doors "for about a minute" before they swung open and gave way.

Mr McDonald said as they were trying get out, the corridor leading to the exit "became quite full". He said everyone was screaming and crying "wanting to get out".

He also agreed with Sean Guerin, SC, who is representing families of the victims that fuses in the premises were blown on a regular basis and that there was never an electrician supervising the setting up of the DJ equipment.

He agreed too that that the DJs were probably operating at the limit of the electrical supply that was available to them.

The court heard included in the DJ equipment that night was "50 or 60 lamps, eight speakers, two record decks, four plug boards and one amp".

The court was also told how the DJ's van used to be parked up against the outside of Exit 3 for unloading and was on the night in question.

Mr McDonald was asked that in the six months he had been helping at the Stardust, if any member of staff had told them that the van should be moved away. He said, "it was never said".