CHANCE PLAYED ITS PART SOME LIVED AND SOME DIED
Chance played its part, some lived and some died
CHANCE played its part in the tragic events of the Omagh explosion, with some people being hurt or fatally injured, while others escaped unharmed.
One of those, the coroner said, was Mrs. Ann McCombe, of Hospital Road, Omagh.
At the inquest, one witness Madeline McElhatton of Tattymole Road, Fintona said she saw Mrs. McCombe in the street prior to the bomb explosion.
Mrs. McElhatton described how she was in High Street around 2.30pm when she was told about the bomb scare. She told the court that she moved as far down the street as Menary's shop, but was moved further back by the police who were conducting the evacuation.
As she moved along the street she said that she noticed several people that she knew, one was Veda Short and the other was Ann McCombe, from Watterson's she said.
The husband of the late Mrs. McCombe, Mr Stanley James McCornbe, revealed that they had been married since June 20 1973. He had known his wife for a total of 30 years, he said.
The couple had two sons Clive (22) and Colin aged 18 years, he said.
The court heard Mrs. McCombe was born on April 14 1950 in Ballindrait, Co. Donegal.
Mr McCombe told the court how he had positively identified his wife on August 17 1998 at Lisanelly Barracks to Inspector Milford.
The body of Mrs. McCombe was also formally identified by Rev Ian Mairs, of Mount joy Presbyterian Church.
Mr Mairs described how he had known Mrs. McCombe for seven years and had been aware that she was last seen wearing a light cream lace top.
Dr Derek Carson, deputy state pathologist told the court from a report prepared on the autopsy findings that the cause of Mrs. McCombe's death was a gross neck injury due to a bomb explosion.
The state pathologist said that he found that as a result of the bomb explosion, Mrs. McCombe had sustained multiple and severe injuries affecting almost all parts of the front of the body and maximal on the right hand side, indicating that the explosion had occurred in front of her and to her right.
He said that Mrs. McCombe must have been quite close to the explosion.
The coroner then raised the point that this was the case even though Mrs. McCombe was one of a group of people.
"She was quite badly injured. It may have been that others may have been protected," offered Dr Carson.
"She would not have known anything about it," he said.
The Coroner, Mr John Leckey offered his very deep sympathy to the McCombe family.
He said: "Chance did come into play on this day,"
Mr Leckey reiterated how Mrs. McCombe had been with a group of people.
"Some lived and some did not," he said.
The Coroner talked about the unpredictability of the event and described the situation as "totally unacceptable".
CHANCE played its part in the tragic events of the Omagh explosion, with some people being hurt or fatally injured, while others escaped unharmed.
One of those, the coroner said, was Mrs. Ann McCombe, of Hospital Road, Omagh.
At the inquest, one witness Madeline McElhatton of Tattymole Road, Fintona said she saw Mrs. McCombe in the street prior to the bomb explosion.
Mrs. McElhatton described how she was in High Street around 2.30pm when she was told about the bomb scare. She told the court that she moved as far down the street as Menary's shop, but was moved further back by the police who were conducting the evacuation.
As she moved along the street she said that she noticed several people that she knew, one was Veda Short and the other was Ann McCombe, from Watterson's she said.
The husband of the late Mrs. McCombe, Mr Stanley James McCornbe, revealed that they had been married since June 20 1973. He had known his wife for a total of 30 years, he said.
The couple had two sons Clive (22) and Colin aged 18 years, he said.
The court heard Mrs. McCombe was born on April 14 1950 in Ballindrait, Co. Donegal.
Mr McCombe told the court how he had positively identified his wife on August 17 1998 at Lisanelly Barracks to Inspector Milford.
The body of Mrs. McCombe was also formally identified by Rev Ian Mairs, of Mount joy Presbyterian Church.
Mr Mairs described how he had known Mrs. McCombe for seven years and had been aware that she was last seen wearing a light cream lace top.
Dr Derek Carson, deputy state pathologist told the court from a report prepared on the autopsy findings that the cause of Mrs. McCombe's death was a gross neck injury due to a bomb explosion.
The state pathologist said that he found that as a result of the bomb explosion, Mrs. McCombe had sustained multiple and severe injuries affecting almost all parts of the front of the body and maximal on the right hand side, indicating that the explosion had occurred in front of her and to her right.
He said that Mrs. McCombe must have been quite close to the explosion.
The coroner then raised the point that this was the case even though Mrs. McCombe was one of a group of people.
"She was quite badly injured. It may have been that others may have been protected," offered Dr Carson.
"She would not have known anything about it," he said.
The Coroner, Mr John Leckey offered his very deep sympathy to the McCombe family.
He said: "Chance did come into play on this day,"
Mr Leckey reiterated how Mrs. McCombe had been with a group of people.
"Some lived and some did not," he said.
The Coroner talked about the unpredictability of the event and described the situation as "totally unacceptable".
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE CONSTITUTION
Ref: TC/1558
Published Date: 28-Sep-00
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