A manhunt was under way on Tuesday night for the killer responsible for a horrific arson attack on an innocent family which left four people dead, including two children.
Two other children from the same family were on Tuesday night fighting for their lives following the suspected petrol bomb attack at the house outside Waterford city at around 5am on Tuesday morning.
Parents Kim English, in her 30s, and Philip, in his 50s, and their two sons, Callum, 12, and Jayden, nine, were killed when their home was set ablaze as they slept in a shocking incident which has left the community 'shattered'.
Two other children – Nadia, who has leukaemia, and her brother Elliot – were on Tuesday night clinging to life at Crumlin hospital in Dublin. Nadia is on life support while Elliot is also in a critical condition.
The family had previously spoken out about a campaign of intimidation against them for the last three years. This included a paint attack on a family car. Gardaí have also investigated a previous attempted arson attack at the home less than a month ago.
It is understood that Tuesday's deadly incident saw the attacker throw a petrol bomb at the front door of the house in the Birchwood estate, around three kilometres from Waterford city, just before 5am, setting the house ablaze, as the couple and their four children slept.
One eyewitness to the aftermath explained how he was awoken by a 'huge crash' and then 'all I heard was screaming and crying' and people engulfed in flames. The young man described seeing things 'no human should have to see', adding that he had already received counselling in the immediate aftermath of the attack.
He told the Irish Daily Mail: 'I saw people on fire. I heard screaming and shouting.
Kim and Philip English (pictured) died in the blaze on Tuesday night
Emergency services at the scene on Tuesday morning, after a fire claimed four lives
'There was glass breaking and I just remember looking across the road and not believing what I was seeing. I saw things no human being should have to see and that's going to stick with me for the rest of my life.
'The screams are just stuck in my head. Every time I close my eyes I just see it again.
'I've already gone to counselling that they've set up in the local community centre. I just don't know what else to say.'
While gardaí are at the very early stages of their investigation, it is understood that there are several people of interest on whom they are gathering information. This includes one man who is well known to gardaí for his involvement in the local drugs trade. He is known as an 'enforcer' for one of the main drug gangs in the city.
One avenue of investigation for gardaí is that the fire was set as a result of a five-figure drug debt. None of the people inside the house were responsible for this debt and were 'completely innocent', sources stressed to the Mail.
Neighbours told the Mail of the harrowing scene they experienced in the early hours of Tuesday morning. One woman, who did not want to be named, said: 'I must have rang 999 ten times. There was this huge smashing sound and then all I could hear was screams. I knew there was children in there.
'One of the neighbours there whose house is attached to the back of theirs [the victims] jumped over the wall and tried to get into the house to save them. But there was just too much smoke. He couldn't get in in time. It was just all screaming and we couldn't do anything.'
Speaking to WLR FM back in 2023, Kim and Philip had detailed their dismay after their car was targeted outside their home.
Kim and Philip had spoken about being the victims of a campaign of intimidation
At the time, Kim said she was 'disgusted'. 'I don't know how anyone could do this to anybody,' she said. 'I have children, I need that car for the kids for school. I have appointments.'
Back then, the couple said paint had been thrown over the car between around 2.30am and 2.50am, and that 'nothing like this had ever happened before'.
There were also threats made against members of the family in recent weeks on social media.
The most recent incident was the attempted firebombing of a black Seat car owned by the family about three weeks ago. Gardaí investigated the arson attempt, which happened at about 2.20am on Friday, September 18.
The family lived in the housing estate for several years and were 'well liked', according to local priest Fr Gerry Chestnutt, who had baptised all of the English children.
'It's devastating. It's heartbreaking for this local community because, as you can see, there are a lot of houses here and it's a very tight-knit community, and a lot of the people are here since the estate opened back in 2001,' he said.
'As you can see, there are people out on the street. They're just absolutely devastated and heartbroken, but they will support each other.
'You can just feel the silence and the sense of sadness around. I knew them. They were nice, nice people, lovely people.
A burnt-out window in the family home in the Birchwood estate
'I knew the parents very well. They were really good parents, and the kids, they were just really good kids. We would have had a Confirmation for one of them a couple of years ago. I probably baptised the whole lot of them as well as Holy Communions and that sort of thing.'
Anthony Pettit, Garda Chief Superintendent for Waterford and Kilkenny, confirmed they were treating the four deaths as murder. Chief Supt Pettit said: 'Two adults and two of their children died in the fire. Two more of their children are currently admitted to Children's Health Ireland (CHI) Crumlin where they are receiving treatment for critical injuries.
'My thoughts, and the thoughts of all members of An Garda Síochána and the community, are with the extended family at this time. The house at Birch Avenue has been declared a crime scene and is currently subject to a technical examination by the Garda Technical Bureau.
'The Waterford Coroner's office and that of the State Pathologist have been notified.
'An Garda Síochána believe that the house was attacked by a person or persons unknown and that the fire was started deliberately.
'Gardaí in Waterford are appealing to any person who has information on this multiple murder and arson attack to speak with investigating members.
'In particular, gardaí wish to speak to anyone who was in the vicinity of Birch Avenue, Birchwood, between 4.30am and 5.30am on Tuesday, October 13, 2026.
'Gardaí are also appealing to anyone who was driving in the vicinity of Birchwood, or the adjoining roads, between 4.30am and 5.30am on Tuesday, and who may have dashcam footage or images, to make such footage available to investigating gardaí.'
Chief Supt Pettit added: 'The investigation team can be contacted at the incident room at Waterford Garda Station on 051 305300, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.'
In a statement, Waterford Fire Service said it was alerted to a house fire at Birch Avenue at 5.13am.
It added: 'A number of units from surrounding stations attended and on arrival found a well-developed fire.
'Firefighting operations commenced immediately, and a number of casualties were removed from the two-storey house.
'The fire was extinguished and the scene handed over to An Garda Síochána.'