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| Fire death father 'tried suicide' | Fire death father 'tried suicide' |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| The father of a family of seven killed in a house fire in Omagh had previously attempted suicide in 1988, the inquest into the deaths has heard. | |
| Lorraine McGovern, Arthur McElhill and their five children died in the fire at Lammy Crescent, Omagh, two years ago. | Lorraine McGovern, Arthur McElhill and their five children died in the fire at Lammy Crescent, Omagh, two years ago. |
| Mr McElhill, who had convictions for sexually assaulting teenage girls, was suspected of starting the fire. | Mr McElhill, who had convictions for sexually assaulting teenage girls, was suspected of starting the fire. |
| Dr Michelle Melaugh said she prescribed antidepressants for Mr McElhill, but he did not always take them. | Dr Michelle Melaugh said she prescribed antidepressants for Mr McElhill, but he did not always take them. |
| She said that before the fire he had complained of feeling down and overweight, and told her he was "tired of his wife's shouting in the house". | She said that before the fire he had complained of feeling down and overweight, and told her he was "tired of his wife's shouting in the house". |
| Dr Melaugh said she asked questions designed to find out if he was suicidal or homicidal, but she had "no concerns". | Dr Melaugh said she asked questions designed to find out if he was suicidal or homicidal, but she had "no concerns". |
| There was also evidence on behalf of the McElhill family which suggested that an intruder could have broken into the house and started the fire, though that theory had been dismissed on the opening day of the inquest by forensic investigators. | |
| On Tuesday, the inquest heard a distressing phone call made by 13-year-old Caroline from her burning home. | On Tuesday, the inquest heard a distressing phone call made by 13-year-old Caroline from her burning home. |
| She could be heard pleading: "Help me! Help me!" | She could be heard pleading: "Help me! Help me!" |
| Relatives of both adults heard harrowing details about how they and the five children died. | |
| They heard that they were all alive when the fire started and they had to be identified using dental records. | They heard that they were all alive when the fire started and they had to be identified using dental records. |
| Members of the McElhill and McGovern families sat opposite each other at the inquest. | Members of the McElhill and McGovern families sat opposite each other at the inquest. |
| Some wept silently while others closed their eyes as details about the deaths of the two adults and their five children - Caroline, 13; Sean, 7; Bellina, 4; Clodagh, 19 months and James, nine months, were read out. | Some wept silently while others closed their eyes as details about the deaths of the two adults and their five children - Caroline, 13; Sean, 7; Bellina, 4; Clodagh, 19 months and James, nine months, were read out. |
| There was no evidence of sexual or physical assault prior to the deaths. Nor was there any evidence that Mr McElhill had been under the influence of drink or common drugs on the night of the fire in November 2007. | There was no evidence of sexual or physical assault prior to the deaths. Nor was there any evidence that Mr McElhill had been under the influence of drink or common drugs on the night of the fire in November 2007. |
| The hearing is expected to last up to a week. | The hearing is expected to last up to a week. |
| Just over half of the 21 witnesses due to give evidence took the stand on Tuesday. | Just over half of the 21 witnesses due to give evidence took the stand on Tuesday. |