Two men in their eighties have tragically lost their lives in a devastating house fire in County Sligo, Ireland. Emergency services rushed to the scene in the coastal village of Easkey after receiving a call at approximately 11am today.
Scene Pronounced Fatal
The two pensioners, who have not yet been formally identified, were pronounced dead at the property. No other injuries or fatalities were reported following the blaze. A spokesperson for An Garda Síochána confirmed the scene has been preserved for a detailed technical examination.
"Post-mortem examinations will take place in due course, the outcome of which will determine the course of the investigation," the Gardaí told the Daily Mail. Investigations into the cause of the fire are ongoing.
Recent Tragic Context
This incident follows another fatal house fire in Ireland earlier this month, which is now the subject of a murder investigation. A four-year-old boy, Tadhg Farrell, and a 60-year-old woman, Mary Holt, died after a fire engulfed their family home in Edenderry, County Offaly, on December 6.
Another woman in her fifties managed to escape that blaze and is being treated in hospital for serious injuries. Superintendent Liam Geraghty described that fire as a "reckless, callous and murderous attack on a family home."
Ongoing Police Inquiries
In the County Offaly case, Gardaí believe the fire was started deliberately and have launched a murder investigation. Irish Minister for Justice, Jim O'Callaghan, strongly condemned what he termed a "deliberate callous attack."
While the two incidents are not linked, they have cast a stark light on the tragic consequences of house fires in Ireland. The community in Easkey is now coming to terms with the loss of two of its elderly residents as authorities work to establish the full circumstances of today's fire.
