Dublin Airport firefighter claims he was injured during training exercise

High Court reporters

A Dublin Airport firefighter who claims he was injured during a training exercise to put out an aircraft fire has sued in the High Court.

Edward Quinn, it is claimed, ended up with an acute shoulder tear during the exercise on the aircraft simulator rig at Dublin Airport over four years ago.

He told Ms Justice Denise Brett he was the first person into the aircraft and was holding the nozzle of the hose. He said as he walked through the aircraft with another firefighter behind, the hose got caught on “numerous occasions” on seats.

He said as they approached the bulkhead they could not go further because the hose “got snagged again”. His colleague, he said, went to release the hose and he pulled on it to extinguish the fire, but he felt “something pop” in his shoulder.

He told the court his shoulder hurt, but he finished the exercise and the seven hours left on his shift and got medical help the next day.

Edward Quinn (52) from The Lodge, Abbeylands, Clane, Co Kildare has sued his employer, daa PLC over the accident while on a mandatory training exercise on September 9th, 2019.

It is claimed there should have been additional personnel pulling and feeding the hose for the drill and there was an alleged failure to have a proper warm-up and there was an alleged insufficient briefing before the training.

The claims are denied, and it is contended by the daa that there was alleged contributory negligence on the part of Mr Quinn. It is further contended that he was the author of his own misfortune and allegedly had not adhered to a safety briefing given before the exercise and allegedly had not warmed up before the drill.

Opening the case, Mr Quinn’s counsel Barney Quirke SC told the court that on September 9th, 2019, the firefighter during the exercise suffered a nasty injury. He said it was their case that Mr Quinn was not present for the safety briefing as he was on bird patrol duty on the runways before the exercise. Counsel said he was also allegedly not afforded the opportunity to warm up.

Counsel said an MRI scan showed a tear in the fireman’s right shoulder and he had to have a surgical procedure and was in a sling for six weeks. Counsel said it was their case the firefighter developed a frozen shoulder and was out of work for ten months after the incident.

The case before Ms Justice Denise Brett continues.