POLICE drivers were not adequately trained in the safety features of armoured 4x4 vehicles before a crash that killed four PSNI officers, an inquest into the men's deaths heard yesterday.
Constables Kevin Gorman (24), James Magee (27), Kenny Irvine (30) and Declan Greene (39) were killed on November 23 2008 near Warrenpoint, Co Down, after their Mitsubishi Shogun 4x4 patrol car hit a wall and burst into flames.
The four were responding to an emergency call at the time of the crash.
Constable Tanya Clinghan, who was one of the first police officers to arrive on the scene, said the back of the 4x4 was on fire when she saw the crash.
She told Belfast Coroner's Court that the vehicle's doors would not open and there was no sign of life inside the 4x4.
She said it had been difficult to drive in the wet conditions.
Pathology reports showed that the officers died because they were burned and had inhaled fire fumes, not because they were injured in the crash.
The inquest continues.
* CRASH: PSNI officers, clockwise from top left, Constable Kevin Gorman, part-time Constable Declan Greene, part-time, Constable James Magee and Constable Kenny Irvine, who were killed when their Mitsubishi Shogun crashed near Warrenpoint, Co Down in 2008