A dad died after his body was "compressed" for hours when he got stuck in an indoor cave at a tourist attraction, an inquest heard yesterday.
Carl O'Keeffe, 49, was playing with his children at a birthday party when he became trapped for four hours. He suffered crush injuries at the Kong Adventure Centre in Keswick, Cumbria, on April 22.
The opening of his inquest yesterday, held at Cockermouth Coroner's Court, was told the experienced climber became "critically unwell" during the ordeal and, though he was extracted from the fibreglass, he was declared dead in hospital days later.
Hailed as a "devoted" father of three, Mr O'Keeffe enjoyed nature and the outdoors, his family said after the hearing.
Assistant coroner for Cumbria, Dr Nicholas Shaw, said: "Mr O'Keeffe unfortunately became stuck in a fibreglass tunnel at a caving experience centre, in Keswick.
"And he could not be extracted. It took several hours for specialist teams to extract him.
"He became quite unwell and his body was compressed."
Keswick Mountain Rescue, air ambulance, fire crews and cave rescuers all scrambled to the scene and managed to free Mr O'Keeffe by dismantling sections of the climbing wall panels to gain access to the hidden tunnels.
The dad, from Lancaster, was transferred to an infirmary in a "critically unwell" condition and was placed on the intensive care unit.
The full inquest was suspended until a later date.
Paying tribute to Mr O'Keeffe, his sister Olivia Short, said: "He was my baby brother and over the last few years became my best friend.
"I loved him dearly and we were in contact daily doing word challenges and exchanging weird facts of nature. I also got to spend alternate weekends with him and his children.
"I have been with him since his accident in Keswick on Saturday 22nd April. he was taken to Carlise hospital intensive care with crush injuries.
"It became apparent that the injuries were severe and he would not be able to survive.
"He was then moved to a private room and I was able to stay with him so that he could die with some dignity.
"Adam was with me and Carl during those last days. He was my support and my rock, he helped me get through this unbearable time. I'm broken-hearted, as are the rest of our family."
