Gabriela and her model sister Teodora
Philomena O’Rourke
TRIBUTES HAVE poured in for a nine-year-old girl and her elderly babysitter who lost their lives in a tragic house fire just outside Enniscorthy at the weekend.
Gabriela Glorija Gruznova (9) was being looked after by Philomena O’Rourke (84) when a blaze ripped through the woman’s Clohass home in the early hours of Saturday morning.
The little girl had been staying at the house, which she paid regular visits to, while her mother Zane Sutra went for a meal with Mrs. Rourke’s son Aidan in Mick Wallace’s restaurant in Enniscorthy on Friday night.
The couple returned to the home at approximately 12.20 a.m and were met with a huge inferno and smoke billowing from the roof.
Mr O’Rourke had a key for the front door but it was too engulfed with flames so he broke a window in a desperate attempt to save Gabriela and his mother.
His valiant effort was in vain however, as he was beaten back by thick black smoke.
Mr. O’Rourke severed an artery in his arm and was brought to St. Vincent’s Hospital in Dublin for surgery.
He also suffered from smoke inhalation.
The emergency services were immediately alerted upon the couple coming across the burning house, with four units of Enniscorthy fire services arriving at the scene within minutes.
They fought the blaze for several hours before eventually bringing it under control.
The bodies of the two deceased were removed for post mortem examination at Waterford Regional Hospital.
Although gardaí have not yet established the cause of the fire, they concluded it is not being treated as suspicious.
On Sunday, prayers were said for the two victims at Mass in Davidstown Church.
Parish Priest, Fr. Jim Nolan, said the community would do its upmost to support the two bereaved families.
“Please God we will never have such a tragedy in the parish again and we will not be talking of such a tragedy in the foreseeable future,” he said.
“We as parishioners, neighbours and friends are here to help the family through their tragic loss.”
Stunned neighbours and friends of Mrs. O’Rourke, who bought the house which was ‘kept to perfection’ in 1963 with her late husband Jim, spoke of their shock.
Neighbour Jimmy Nolan told The Echo: “One word to sum up how we’re all feeling – devastation.
“We really can’t believe this has happened, it’s hard to believe something like this would happen on your doorstep. We’ve all suffered a huge shock.”
Speaking about his friend Mrs. O’Rourke, whom he would regularly have cups of tea with in her ‘doll’s house’, he said: “She was an example to any 84-year-old woman. She had a lovely manner about her and any favour you needed she would do it.”
Young Gabriela, a third-class pupil in St. Mary’s NationalSchool, Enniscorthy was described as a “beautiful little girl” who idolised her First Options model sister Teodora Sutra (22), who has achieved national success.
The nine-year-old, who was known for her bright smile and even brighter blonde hair, was nicknamed ‘Gabby’ by her sister Teodora, who adored her along with her other sisters Karlina and Margarita and her mother Zane.
[For full story, see this week’s Echo]
