Inquest into Moldovan who died at Kildare Chilling adjourned

An inquest into the death of a Moldovan man who died in a workplace accident last February has been adjourned following an application by Gardai who have an ongoing investigation into the matter.

Inspector Mel Smyth rose to his feet yesterday, Monday, July 16, at Naas Courthouse to ask Coroner Denis Cusack for an adjournment into the inquest into the death of Alexandru Coceban. The Health and Safety Authority is also investigating the matter and has yet to complete its inquiries, an inspector from the authority told the Coroner. The inspector said that the investigation was at an advanced stage. 

Twenty two year-old Alexandru Coceban was the oldest in his family. He travelled from his native Moldova in early February to take up a job at Kildare Chilling.

Only a few weeks later, on February 16, he was dead, having been the victim of an industrial accident involving a fork lift. The coroner read the report of the post mortem into the record. It revealed that he died as a result of multiple traumatic injuries as a consequence of an industrial accident.

Commenting on the case, Denis Cusack said it was “a most tragic event for the family. “It must be a devastating blow for them,” he added. 

He was due to get his first pay cheque on the day that he died.

A GoFundMe appeal was established by his fellow Moldovans to raise €7,000 to repatriate his remains to his native country. And it exceeded that amount in less than two days with more than 250 contributors. A Russian Orthodox funeral service was conducted in Kildare town on February 27 last and attended by his grieving parents.

His inquest has been adjourned until September.

Read more: Man dies in workplace accident at Kildare Chilling Company

Read more: The funeral service of Alexandru Coceban, who died tragically at the Kildare Chilling Company