Fires that result in death inevitably result in a Coroner’s inquiry.
These courts consider the various causes of an incident and determine who, if anybody, is at fault.
High profile cases, such as the 2011 Quakers Hill nursing home fire and the 2012 apartment fire at Bankstown lead to in-depth investigations that may recommend reforms that significantly change the industry and improve public safety.
Hugh Dillon was the Deputy NSW Coroner who oversaw these two inquiries.
In the Bankstown case, he recommended the mandatory introduction of cost-effective sprinklers to residential buildings, which were developed by Fire and Rescue NSW, FPA Australia and the Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition Australia based on research conducted at CSIRO’s major fire testing facility at North Ryde in Sydney.
But what does a Coroner look for in an investigation, and what lessons can be learnt by the fire protection industry?
Mr Dillon will give some insights from his extensive experience in the Coroner service.
