A coroner has asked a local authority to examine the material used in the ceilings of houses after the ceiling of a kitchen melted in a fatal house fire.
Seán O'Keeffe (61) died in his end-of-terrace bungalow at Pinewood Estate, Killarney, Co Kerry, last April when he was overcome by fumes after a chip-pan fire.
The fire damage was confined to the armchair in front of the fireplace and the cooker area in the kitchen/sittingroom.
The heat generated by the chip-pan fire caused the material on the ceiling of the kitchen to melt and drip on to the floor.
Some of the material burned the armchair in front of the fireplace, said examiner Det Garda Paul Moore. Mr O'Keeffe had managed to turn off the cooker pilot switch before being overcome by fumes.
Coroner Terence Casey said open chip pans should never be left unattended.
"I would call upon the local authority to examine the contents of ceilings. This ceiling melted and dripped down on the chair where he [ Mr O'Keeffe] was sitting."
He said the ceilings should be replaced "as quickly as possible" if necessary.
The assistant State pathologist found the cause of death to be acute carbon-monoxide poisoning due to smoke inhalation.