Death of firefighter who fell over railings into the River Irwell after work night out was an accident, coroner rules

A 'popular and valued' firefighter died after falling over railings into a river after a work night out in what a coroner has ruled was a tragic accident.

Daniel Lee, 41, known as Dan, from Salford, who had been out in the city centre with colleagues from Greater Manchester and Rescue Service (GMFRS) vanished after leaving Mojos bar in the early hours of Monday, August 22 last year sparking a frantic search.

His body was very sadly discovered in the River Irwell by a passer-by three days later. An inquest into his death was heard at Manchester West Coroner's Court in Bolton last week.

READ MORE: Police tape off town centre after man's body is found

A coroner said CCTV footage from a building next to the river showed a man believed to be Mr Lee fall over some railings into the water 'from a height' attempting to grab a tree or some shrubs as he fell.

He suffered 'unsurvivable injuries' with a post-mortem concluding his cause of death was 'multiple injuries and drowning.'

Detailing the circumstances of the death on Mr Lee's Record of Inquest, Area Coroner Alan Walsh says: "On the 21st August 2022 the deceased went into Manchester City Centre for a social event with work colleagues from the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service.

"He left Mojos Bar on Bridge Street, Manchester at 01:11 hours on the 22nd August 2022 having consumed a quantity of alcohol and he was seen to walk or run into Smithy Lane, Manchester towards Parsonage Gardens, Manchester.

"A man, believed to be the deceased, was seen on CCTV recovered from the Dandara building, which is adjacent to the River Irwell, to fall over some railings into the River Irwell. The fall was a fall from a height into the river and he was seen to attempt to grab a tree