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A serious investigation has been opened after four individuals lost their lives in a house fire in County Waterford, according to the Gardaí, Ireland’s police service. The tragic incident occurred in the early hours of Tuesday on Birch Avenue and claimed the lives of two adults, a man and a woman, as well as two children. Additionally, two other children sustained critical injuries and are currently receiving hospital treatment.
Authorities are treating the fire as a potential case of arson and have urged anyone who was near the scene shortly after 5 a.m. to come forward with any information. The Waterford Fire Service responded swiftly after receiving the alert at 05:13 local time, arriving to find an intense blaze engulfing a two-storey home. Firefighters managed to remove several casualties from the property before extinguishing the fire and subsequently handed the scene over to Gardaí for further examination.
In response to the incident, a senior Gardaí investigator and family liaison officers have been assigned to the case. Taoiseach Micheál Martin addressed the tragedy briefly as he arrived for a cabinet meeting in Dublin, offering his condolences and requesting the public respect the work of first responders. “It is a very worrying and deeply disturbing situation,” he said, while emphasizing that not all details were yet known.
The affected residential area is located just off Killure Road, approximately 3 kilometers from Waterford city center. Local representatives expressed their sorrow, with Sinn Féin’s David Cullinane, who serves Waterford in the Dáil, stating he personally knew the family affected. “I’m just utterly heartbroken,” Cullinane shared, acknowledging the profound impact on both the housing estate and the wider community. Sinn Féin councillor John Hearne described the event as a “terrible tragedy,” recalling how neighbors noticed the fire around 05:00 and attempted to warn others despite the rapid and distressing development. The local council set up a support hub at Butler Community Centre in St John’s Park, offering refreshments and assistance to those impacted. Meanwhile, Bishop of Waterford and Lismore Alphonsus Cullinan labeled the event an “unspeakable tragedy” that had shaken the city, pledging the Catholic Church’s support to the grieving family and the community. He also expressed gratitude toward emergency personnel for their efforts during the crisis. Waterford’s mayor, Lola O’Sullivan, appealed to the public to avoid speculation about the fire’s cause, expressing concern over unverified social media commentary
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