CORONER PRAISES PHARMACY WORKER WHO GAVE FIRST AID
Coroner praises pharmacy worker who gave first aid to the injured and dying
THE coroner hearing details of the Omagh Inquest, Mr. John Leckey, has commended the actions of a first aid trained civilian who helped care for the wounded and helped with those who perished in the bombing.
Mr. Leckey commended Mr. Roy Bonar, and said he did not want anyone to underestimate his contribution to the role played by those who had involved themselves after the bomb had detonated.
"I am sure the town of Omagh owes you a considerable debt of gratitude," he said, adding that Mr. Bonar had acted under risk from unstable buildings, and while electricity supplies were posing a danger to those engaged in the recovery process.
"May I thank you for what you did and the public spirit you showed on that occasion," the coroner added.
In evidence Mr. Bonar, who was working at Boots the Chemists on the day of the blast, said he was told by police that there was a bomb scare that was being taken seriously, and saw that people were being cleared in the direction of Market Street or along Bridge Street.
He said he spoke to Mrs. Judith Irwin, the manager at Boots, who said she would pull down the shutters of the shop. Everyone else in the shop left the premises exiting into Prospect Court. Ten minutes later the bomb detonated.
Mr. Bonar and Mrs. Irwin remained when they heard shouting and screaming, they lifted the shutters.
"I saw a woman coming towards us with facial injuries. She said she was going to her car. A man approached in his early 20s. He had a head injury and blood was coming from his left ear. He said he wanted to get his car, he was going to hospital," he said.
Mr. Bonar said a young policeman approached with blood on his face and shoulder and asked for first aid supplies. He said he asked Mrs. Irwin to give them what first aid supplies she had and he went to the bottom of the town, which he described as "utter devastation".
There was a police officer in the back of a Land Rover with an injury to his head and shoulder, whom he treated. There was also a semi conscious young man in the back of the vehicle and he told a young policeman to get them to hospital.
Dressing
He said he saw a lot of bodies lying around, and he saw a child with a large gash to his side and instructed other people to hold a dressing on the wound. The boy's name was Stefan and he was from Spain.
He said he made splints for two people with severe leg injuries, and bandaged their legs together. One was a woman who was screaming with pain. He said she was put on a door and put on a bus for transport to hospital.
On return to the bomb scene he tried to persuade people to stay back, at that time he saw people, two men and one woman, obviously dead in water near Nicholl and Shiels. He checked in vain for signs of life.
He said there were two bodies in the doorway of the Salad Bowl and others in the street outside.
There were two more bodies in and around the Pine Shop and a body outside a shoe shop. Three bodies were near the gift shop.
"I had no way of identifying them. I just checked for signs of life," he said.
Mr. Bonar continued by saying he spoke to a sergeant who said he would organise a sweep of the area for other bodies, and at that time Army personnel arrived and he accompanied the doctor around each of the bodies checking for life signs. He said the personnel were excellent and very professional in doing a hard job.
He said he came across a girl sitting on the ground holding the hand of a dead girl, and she told him that she did not know the victim, but did not want her to be alone.
"I let her stay there," Mr. Bonar told the silent court hearing.
He said that while he accompanied the Army doctor and showed him where the bodies were at one point at S. D. Kells they dug through rubble with their bare hands to get to the deceased. He said there was a fire in the back of the shop, but they continued to check the bodies.
He also cut the power off in another premises. In the newsagents they found another body.
Afterwards he assisted in laying the bodies out in the arcade. He then returned to Boots.
In conclusion he said that the conduct of the police was "above and beyond the call of duty".
Commending the police he said that many of the injured police remained at the scene to help civilians. He also commended the ambulance personnel, the Army doctor, who, he said, insisted that all the dead be found; the Fire Brigade officers and others, who all did their utmost to search for people in the buildings even though it was dangerous.
Mr. Bonar also praised other civilians who tried to help the injured.
THE coroner hearing details of the Omagh Inquest, Mr. John Leckey, has commended the actions of a first aid trained civilian who helped care for the wounded and helped with those who perished in the bombing.
Mr. Leckey commended Mr. Roy Bonar, and said he did not want anyone to underestimate his contribution to the role played by those who had involved themselves after the bomb had detonated.
"I am sure the town of Omagh owes you a considerable debt of gratitude," he said, adding that Mr. Bonar had acted under risk from unstable buildings, and while electricity supplies were posing a danger to those engaged in the recovery process.
"May I thank you for what you did and the public spirit you showed on that occasion," the coroner added.
In evidence Mr. Bonar, who was working at Boots the Chemists on the day of the blast, said he was told by police that there was a bomb scare that was being taken seriously, and saw that people were being cleared in the direction of Market Street or along Bridge Street.
He said he spoke to Mrs. Judith Irwin, the manager at Boots, who said she would pull down the shutters of the shop. Everyone else in the shop left the premises exiting into Prospect Court. Ten minutes later the bomb detonated.
Mr. Bonar and Mrs. Irwin remained when they heard shouting and screaming, they lifted the shutters.
"I saw a woman coming towards us with facial injuries. She said she was going to her car. A man approached in his early 20s. He had a head injury and blood was coming from his left ear. He said he wanted to get his car, he was going to hospital," he said.
Mr. Bonar said a young policeman approached with blood on his face and shoulder and asked for first aid supplies. He said he asked Mrs. Irwin to give them what first aid supplies she had and he went to the bottom of the town, which he described as "utter devastation".
There was a police officer in the back of a Land Rover with an injury to his head and shoulder, whom he treated. There was also a semi conscious young man in the back of the vehicle and he told a young policeman to get them to hospital.
Dressing
He said he saw a lot of bodies lying around, and he saw a child with a large gash to his side and instructed other people to hold a dressing on the wound. The boy's name was Stefan and he was from Spain.
He said he made splints for two people with severe leg injuries, and bandaged their legs together. One was a woman who was screaming with pain. He said she was put on a door and put on a bus for transport to hospital.
On return to the bomb scene he tried to persuade people to stay back, at that time he saw people, two men and one woman, obviously dead in water near Nicholl and Shiels. He checked in vain for signs of life.
He said there were two bodies in the doorway of the Salad Bowl and others in the street outside.
There were two more bodies in and around the Pine Shop and a body outside a shoe shop. Three bodies were near the gift shop.
"I had no way of identifying them. I just checked for signs of life," he said.
Mr. Bonar continued by saying he spoke to a sergeant who said he would organise a sweep of the area for other bodies, and at that time Army personnel arrived and he accompanied the doctor around each of the bodies checking for life signs. He said the personnel were excellent and very professional in doing a hard job.
He said he came across a girl sitting on the ground holding the hand of a dead girl, and she told him that she did not know the victim, but did not want her to be alone.
"I let her stay there," Mr. Bonar told the silent court hearing.
He said that while he accompanied the Army doctor and showed him where the bodies were at one point at S. D. Kells they dug through rubble with their bare hands to get to the deceased. He said there was a fire in the back of the shop, but they continued to check the bodies.
He also cut the power off in another premises. In the newsagents they found another body.
Afterwards he assisted in laying the bodies out in the arcade. He then returned to Boots.
In conclusion he said that the conduct of the police was "above and beyond the call of duty".
Commending the police he said that many of the injured police remained at the scene to help civilians. He also commended the ambulance personnel, the Army doctor, who, he said, insisted that all the dead be found; the Fire Brigade officers and others, who all did their utmost to search for people in the buildings even though it was dangerous.
Mr. Bonar also praised other civilians who tried to help the injured.
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE CONSTITUTION
Ref: TC/1552
Published Date: 21-Sep-00
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