Lung patient 'set himself alight'

The inquiry heard that smoking was officially banned at the hospital

A lung cancer patient who died after setting himself on fire in hospital was permitted cigarettes by staff despite a smoking ban, an inquiry has heard.

George McGarry, 72, from Kilmarnock, was linked to an oxygen tank at Ayr Hospital in January 2004 when staff saw smoke coming from underneath his door.

A fatal accident inquiry heard it was "very likely" a cigarette had come into contact with Mr McGarry's oxygen.

A staff nurse said allowing smoking was left to the discretion of each nurse.

Mabel McLarty, an auxiliary nurse, said she ran towards Mr McGarry's room after she smelt smoke, as he had been previously caught with cigarettes.

I could not understand why there were no smoke detectors in a hospital room, particularly where oxygen was being piped Ian McGarry

Despite suffering constant poor health, the inquiry at Ayr Sheriff Court heard that Mr McGarry smoked heavily.

Family members would supply him with cigarettes, sometimes taking him outside the hospital in a wheelchair, removing his mask and switching off his oxygen supply so he could smoke.

Ms McLarty told the inquiry that Mr McGarry, who died four days later, asked for a cigarette immediately after the incident.

She said that the staff nurse had felt a cigarette would calm him down.

Ms McLarty confirmed that smoking was officially banned throughout the hospital.

Fiona Scott, a staff nurse, said she did not personally allow any patients to smoke.

'Terrible state'

But she added: "As far as I'm aware it was up to the discretion of the staff nurse in charge of the ward if a patient could smoke."

Mrs Scott said she had not received fire training "for a long time" before the incident, although a course was given after the fire.

Linda McGarry, the pensioner's daughter-in-law, said the nurses had told the family to turn off the oxygen supply when Mr McGarry was having a cigarette.

The patient's son Ian said that when he was called back to the hospital after a visit, his father "was in a terrible state".

'Acted heroically'

"There were burns all over his body, particularly his face," he said.

"You could see where the plastic had melted into his face and he also had burns on the back of his legs."

He said his father had been suffering from TB, bronchitis and emphysema.

Mr McGarry, of Troon, said that following his father's death, he discovered there were no smoke detectors in the room.

"I could not understand why there were no smoke detectors in a hospital room, particularly where oxygen was being piped," he said.

"I felt very sorry for the nursing staff and I think they acted heroically. But I don't think that was a risk they should have been exposed to."

The inquiry continues.