Attending a ‘Person Shut in Lift’ at Moelwyn Hughes Court, he fell from the flat roof while making his way to the lift motor room. Aged 25.
O'Donovan was brought up in Harrow and was an avid sportsman. He and his brother married a pair of sisters. After getting married, he moved to Dunstable with his wife where they began raising their two children.
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Our colleague, Andrew Behan, adds that Daniel Michael O'Donovan was born on 6 June 1938 at 38 Beatty Road, Stanmore, Middlesex (now Greater London), the son of Timothy O'Donovan (1914-1998) and Catherine Rose O'Donovan née O'Connor (1916-200). His birth was registered in the 3rd quarter of 1938 in the Hendon Registration District, Middlesex (now Greater London).
The England and Wales Register compiled on 29 September 1939 shows his parents living at 29 St Kilda's Road, Harrow, Middlesex (now Greater London) and that his father was listed as a timberman. The birth of his brother, Cathal J. O'Donovan was registered in 2nd quarter of 1940 in the Hendon Registration District.
He joined the London Fire Brigade on 13 April 1959 and following training at Southwark he became a member of Blue Watch at Euston Fire Station.
He married Ellen Frances Collins on 2 September 1961, the marriage being registered in the Harrow Registration District, Middlesex. Electoral registers in 1962 show them listed at Flat 6, Heatherdene, Stone Grove, Stanmore, Middlesex (now Greater London). They had two children: Lorraine K. O'Donovan whose birth was registered in the 1st quarter of 1962 in the Watford Registration District, Hertfordshire and Mark O'Donovan whose birth was registered in the 3rd quarter of 1963 in the Luton Registration District, Bedfordshire.
From we learn that "On 11 March 1964 at 19.20 hours Blue Watch was mobilised to 'Person shut in lift' at Moelwyn Hughes Court, Hilldrop Lane, Kentish Town. On arrival it was established that due to a power failure a person had become shut in the lift car that served the block of residential flats. For the fire service this is a common event and crews are well versed in the procedure required. In most cases the lift motor room is located on the roof, access to which is normally via a hatch or doorway designed for such purpose. A crew proceeded there to isolate the power and thereafter manually wind the lift-car to the appropriate floor level, so enabling the lift door to be opened and the persons to be released. In this case the door or hatch giving access to to the lift motor room was probably locked and keys seem to have not been available. During these operations, Fireman O'Donovan climbed out of a top floor window with the intention of climbing up onto the roof, where he could then make his way to the lift motor room. Whilst doing so he fell to the ground. He suffered multiple injuries, including a fractures of the left femur and the cervical spine. He was removed to Whittington Hospital, Islington, but was pronounced dead on arrival".
His death was registered, aged 25 years, in the 1st quarter of 1964 in the Islington Registration District, London and his body was buried on 19 March 1964 in Grave L.210 in Harrow Weald Cemetery, Clamp Hill, Stanmore, HA7 3JS.
Probate records confirm that his address had been 239 Chesford Road, Stopsley, Luton, Bedfordshire and that he died at Whittington Hospital St Mary's Wing, Islington. Administration of his estate was granted to his widow on 25 May 1964 and his estate totalled £3,665.
He is shown as "DANIEL MICHAEL O'DONOVAN" on the plaque attached to Moelwyn Hughes Court, Hilldrop Lane, London, N7 and as "Fm Daniel Michael O'Donovan" on the plaque at the London Fire Brigade memorial in Highgate Cemetery, Swain's Lane, London, N6. He is also commemorated on the National Firefighters memorial in Sermon Lane, London, EC4, in the and on the .
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