Mystery of decomposing body found in garage

A FIREFIGHTER made a grisly discovery as he helped battle a Rotherham blaze  . . . parts of a human body.

Firefighter Andy Dilks told in a statement to Rotherham Coroner’s Court how he dragged body parts out of a blazing garage on the end of his pitchfork while clearing debris.

The rest of the badly-decomposed body was found inside the delapidated structure, off Broom Road, Broom, which burned down in February last year.

The hearing was told that the remains had been identified as homeless man Stephen Lawlor (49) and evidence suggested his body had been lying on a cushion at the back of the garage for four months before it was found.

Pathologist Dr Alexander Colar said that the decomposed state of Mr Lawlor’s body had made it impossible to determine whether he had consumed drugs or alcohol before his death.

Dr Colar did, however, discover a fracture to the back of Mr Lawlor’s skull which may have dated from the day of his death.

The Rotherham coroner, Ms Nicola Mundy, recorded an open verdict due to a lack of evidence.

Paul Swainston, from South Yorkshire Police, said two men had admitted entering the garage and starting the fire by accidentally dropping a piece of paper that they had lit to see by.

There had been no suggestion that they knew there had been a body in the garage.

DEAD MAN HAD BEEN TEASED FOR MONTHS . . . . see this week's Advertiser.