Waterford city house fire: Number of people, including children, feared dead

Main Points

• A number of people are feared dead, including children, following a fire at a house in the Birchwood estate, just south of Waterford city.
• A couple with several children lived in the home and at least two people are believed to have died.
• A Garda spokesman said it was “an ongoing evolving incident” and no further details were available yet.

Criminal investigation starts into house fire

The house fire is now subject to a criminal investigation, The Irish Times understands.

While that inquiry was only beginning on Tuesday morning, the possibility the house was deliberately targeted in an arson attack is one line of investigation at present, Conor Lally reports.

Waterford Council set up support hub for those affected by fire

A support hub to provide refreshments and facilities to those affected by the fire has been set up by Waterford City and County Council.

The hub is at the Butler Community Centre in St. John’s Park in Waterford city.

‘Devastation’ among neighbours as ‘children involved’

Sinn Féin’s health spokesman David Cullinane, who is a TD for Waterford, said he was heartbroken at the news.

“It’s just utterly heartbreaking and there’s such devastation in the housing estate itself, as you can imagine, but also in the wider community in Waterford city.

“Obviously there is shock but people will know the family and there is absolute heartbreak when you have children involved as well so it’s obviously very emotional.”

Cullinane told RTÉ Radio’s Morning Ireland that he knew the family well and had met one of the family members recently.

He said the number of fatalities remained unknown, “but we do know it’s very high and obviously if anybody does survive we wish them our best wishes”.

Cullinane went on to pay tribute to the first responders. He said he had spoken to paramedics and firefighters and knew how traumatic it had been for them when they arrived at the scene.

He asked that An Garda Síochána and first responders be given space.

“My heart goes out to the family members and the relatives and all of the neighbours and friends of the family involved and I’m just utterly heartbroken and devastated.”

The community would rally around, he said. “All they can do is stand in solidarity at this point, there’s no words really. No and I’m lost for words myself, I know many of the neighbours, it’s a very close-knit community and I know there is tears on that road as you can imagine and just people absolutely devastated and just still in shock.

“It just sends a shiver down your spine. It’s just so heartbreaking particularly when there’s children involved so I think that heartbreak will be felt right across the island when people hear what happened and hear of the fatalities,” said the Sinn Féin TD.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin said he was shocked at the news and asked that emergency services be given time and space “to deal with what clearly is a very worrying and deeply disturbing situation”.

Several feared dead, including children

A number of people are feared dead, including children, following a fire at a house in Waterford city.

Gardaí and other emergency services attended the scene in the Birchwood estate, about 3km south of the city centre, after the alarm was raised shortly after 5am.

The fire has now been extinguished.

A couple with several children lived in the home and at least two people are believed to have died.

Waterford Fire Service received an emergency call about a house fire at Birch Avenue, Kilcohan, at 5.13am, a spokesperson said.

They said several fire units went to the scene from surrounding stations and found the “well-developed fire” at the house.

“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.”

A Garda spokesman said it was “an ongoing evolving incident” and no further details were available yet.