Man died after being overcome by fumes while working on his car in a garage

Man died after being overcome by fumes while working on his car in a garage

Fermin Câmara (31) died in a tragic accident as he fitted a radio to his new car at a friend’s ‘lock-up’ garage in St Helier.

During the inquest, pathologist Dr Miklos Perenyei said that in the confined space of the single garage in Upper Clarendon Road, the exhaust fumes had caused a saturation of carbon monoxide in
Mr Câmara’s blood of 82% – well above the 50% threshold that is usually considered fatal.

Police coroner’s officer Tony Forder told the inquest that Mr Câmara had recently bought the second-hand Subaru Impreza and begun work to restore it.

Mr Forder said the night in late October 2018 had been cold, and the fact that Mr Câmara was wearing multiple layers of clothing suggested that he may have been using the car’s heater to keep warm.

Friends and family were concerned that Mr Câmara was not contactable the following day, and he was found a further day later in the car, which had an empty fuel tank and a flat battery. ‘This appears to be a tragic accident, as he ran the car engine, causing carbon-monoxide fumes, without realising the danger of this,’ said Mr Forder.

The inquest heard that Mr Câmara had moved to Jersey in 2010 after a former school friend from Madeira had previously made the move and recommended him for a job. At the time of his death he worked as a gardener at the Merton Hotel.

Close friend Fabio Franco said in a statement that Mr Câmara’s friends and family had been devastated to hear the news.

‘He was the life and soul of the party and he loved his young daughter deeply,’ said Mr Franco.

‘He was a good friend and would help anyone who needed it’

The inquest heard that those investigating the incident found no suggestion that Mr Câmara had committed suicide, or that anyone else had been involved in his death.

After recording his finding that Mr Câmara died from carbon-monoxide poisoning, the Deputy Viscount, Advocate Mark Harris, expressed his condolences to Mr Câmara’s family, who followed the inquest with the assistance of a Portuguese-speaking interpreter.

– Advertisement –
– Advertisement –