Update – 3.40pm: The two men who died in this morning’s house fire in Co Cork have been named locally.
They have been named as Noel O’Mahony who was in his 60s and from Cackanode, Macroom, and 27-year-old Kenny Relihan from St Colman’s Park, Macroom.
Update – 11.30am: Local people in the Cork town of Macroom have told of desperate efforts to rescue three people from a house fire which has left two men dead.
The fire devastated the three-bedroomed terraced house in the St Colman’s Park estate, with the woman of the house jumping to safety from an upstairs window.
However, her son and a family friend who had been visiting both died in the blaze.
The alarm was raised at around 4am today with the fire brigade called to the scene.
By the time it arrived neighbours – and in particular a young man in his twenties living in a house across the street – had made heroic attempts to get those inside to safety.
One local woman who spoke to the Irish Examiner said the young man – a friend of the younger victim of the fire – made a number of attempts to get inside.
She said those outside were urging those in the house to jump out the window.
Despite their efforts the two men died in the blaze and their bodies were removed from the scene shortly afterwards.
There is a palpable sense of shock in the estate, with many neighbours too upset to speak to media.
Many have paid tribute to the efforts of those in the locality to rescue those caught inside the house.
The fire gutted the property from front to back. The main front window is destroyed and the ground floor area is now covered in water following the efforts of the fire brigade to bring the blaze under control.
The woman who jumped from the building is still being tested while the young man who made the valiant rescue attempts also received treatment and has since returned home. He is said to be deeply upset and is being comforted by friends.
Meanwhile, gardai are still examining the scene amid speculation that a cooking appliance – possibly a fat fryer – was a factor in the fire breaking out.
Earlier: Two men have died in a house fire in county Cork.
Emergency services were called to the scene in St Coleman’s Park Macroom at about 4am this morning.
The bodies of the men one in his 60’s and the other in his 20’s were discovered inside.
A woman who jumped from an upstairs window and a neighbour who tried to get into the house to help have both been brought to hospital with non life-threatening injuries.
The men’s bodies have been removed to Cork University Hospital where post mortem examinations are expected to be carried out.
Gardaí say at this stage it appears the blaze started accidentally.
