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| ‘I couldn’t save neighbour
from plunging to his death’ |
Man would often climb in through
window if he was locked out, inquest hears
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Dornay Towers, Adelaide Road
Olakisan Ismaila
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A HELPLESS neighbour couldn’t save the life of a man who
regularly clambered across his perilous 19th-storey windowsill when
locked out, an inquest heard last week (Thursday).
Returning home with his shopping, Frank Irvine, 42, found himself
locked out of his house again. So he did what he usually does in
such circumstances – he decided to break into his bathroom
window.
But Mr Irvine’s flat was on the 19th storey of Dornay Towers,
Adelaide Road, and tragically this time, he lost his footing.
Helpless neighbour Olakisan Ismaila, 30, told a hearing at St Pancras
Coroners Court last week (Thursday) how he failed to persuade Mr
Irvine to come in from the dizzy height on September 5 last year
– seconds before he fell to his death.
He said: “The window was open. I went to him and said, ‘What
are you doing there? It’s dangerous. He responded, ‘Don’t
worry, I’m all right, I’m just trying to get through to
my window’. He was tipsy – a bit drunk.”
Powerless, Mr Ismaila continued on his way out to work, but stopped
to call his wife from the ground floor to find out which emergency
service to call. But he was too late. Mr Ismaila saw a group of
people gathered at the bottom of the block.
He said: “I asked what happened, they told me there was a man
who fell. I felt very sad that it was the man I had seen.”
Holborn Police Sergeant Neil Howell said on attending the scene
he met two of Mr Irvine’s nieces.
They told him their uncle, who lived on the 19th floor, was known
to climb along his windowsill when he forgot his keys.
A statement from Mr Irvine’s GP confirmed he had suffered from
depression and alcohol dependency and had been assigned key workers
to help him.
Recording the cause of death as being from multiple injuries in
an apparent fall, coroner Dr Andrew Reid said: “There was no
indication that Mr Irvine was suicidal. I’m therefore satisfied
that he did not take his own life.”
Speaking after the hearing, Mr Ismaila, of Oval Road, told how he,
his wife and four-year-old child could no longer live at the flats
after Mr Irvine’s demise.
He said: “My wife was desperate to move after that because
every time she comes in she still sees those things.
“At that time it was terrible. It was hard for her to eat,
sleep, and me too as well but as a man you have to be stronger.
“She’s always telling me she wants to feel safe in the
night and me not working nights makes her feel comfortable.
He added: “Human life is precious and when you see people in
danger, friend or enemy, you have to help them.
“I wish I could have done better to save him.”
Verdict: Accident. |
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