Martina McLaughlin said her husband lived for their children
A CO DONEGAL man died when he blew up his own home on Halloween night, an inquest into his death was told today.
Well-known optician Jeff McLaughlin had doused his holiday home in Inishowen with petrol and home heating oil before it exploded, destroying the house and killing him instantly.
A jury returned a verdict of ‘accidental death by misadventure’ into the death of the 42-year-old just before midnight on October 31, 2014.
The blast from the explosion was so loud local people thought the property had been hit by a plane.
Mr McLaughlin, originally from Carndonagh, was a successful businessman who owned two optician practices in Buncrana and in Carndonagh.
He died instantly in the explosion at the house at Carnmalin, Malin Head.
Today a forensic expert Dr Barbara Buchanan revealed she found petrol vapour on clothes worn by Mr McLaughlin.
She had also found petrol vapour and home heating oil vapour on other items recovered from the blast scene.
Mr McLaughlin’s relatives intently as the evidence was given.
Today Superintendent Kevin English told Coroner Dr John Madden that gardaí had concluded that Mr McLaughlin had caused the fire and explosion which destroyed the home.
He said he concluded quickly that the arrestable offence of arson had taken place and designated the house and surrounding area where debris was strewn a crime scene.
“From my experience I had concerns about what had occurred and what part the deceased had to play in his own demise,” said the senior garda.
Earlier the inquest heard Mr McLaughlin had left his home in Derry after spending the evening ‘trick or treating’ with his three young children.
He had an argument with his wife Martina.
She said she loved her husband and didn’t know why he had gone to Malin Head.
Mrs McLaughlin said the PSNI had called to her home on the night of the blast to tell her of a fire at the holiday home in Carnmalin.
However she only found out that a body had been found in the debris when she was told by a member of staff at the Carndonagh optician’s premises.
She said her husband lived for their children and she loved him dearly.
Dr Madden agreed with the jury verdict and passed on his sympathy to the McLaughlin family.
He said he had first met Mr McLaughlin’s parents in 1973 when he was their doctor.
“No parents should have to bury a child,” said the coroner.
He also particular praise for the fire service who had dealt with the explosion on the night, saying they often risked their lives at such scenes and received very little recognition for the job they do.
This was echoed by Supt Eugene McGovern who passed on his sympathy to Martina McLaughlin, her children and to the parents and siblings of Mr McLaughlin.
Gardai at the scene of the housefire at Carnmalin PIc by Northwest News Pics.
The late Jeffrey McLaughlin
