Updated at 7:57pm
TEN PEOPLE HAVE been confirmed dead following a blaze at a halting site in Carrickmines, south Dublin, overnight.
Two infants were among those killed, gardaí confirmed.
A number of other children are among the dead. The youngest victim is understood to be just six months old.
Members of two families are believed to have died.
Describing it as an “unspeakable tragedy” this afternoon, Taoiseach Enda Kenny said a “husband and wife, their four sons and baby daughter and other relations are lost”.
A senior officer at the scene confirmed this afternoon that a baby aged six months had died. It was later confirmed another infant had passed away, as the death toll was revised from nine to ten.
Condolences
Six units and three ambulances of the Dublin Fire Brigade together with units from the National Ambulance Service attended the scene of the blaze at the Travelling Community halting site on Glenamuck Road South, close to the M50 and near the foothills of the Dublin Mountains.
Speaking to the media this afternoon, investigating gardaí and senior Dublin Fire Brigade officers confirmed that nine people had lost their lives.
The number was later revised, as the death of the second infant was confirmed.
“The children are as young as six months I believe,” Chief Superintendent for Dun Laoghaire Diarmuid O’Sullivan said, as he extended his condolences to the loved ones of the family members who died, and the wider Travelling community.
Assistant Chief Fire Officer Denis Keeley of Dublin Fire Brigade said that the emergency services were first alerted by a phone call at 4.24am.
“Three fire units were initially sent,” he said.
On arrival at 4.34am they were met with a substantial and well-established fire scene.
“The fire crews got to work immediately and set about dealing with the fire.
“There were a number of people removed from the scene by ambulance – both the National Ambulance Service and Dublin Fire Brigade.
They were taken to hospital. There were two adults and two children removed.
Keeley said that as firefighters arrived at the scene one of the residents “had a young child that had to be rescued from the fire”.
He added:
“There was a young child who was removed suffering with smoke inhalation and burns.
“That child was removed from the units with breathing apparatus and transported to hospital.
I’m not in a position to say at this moment the condition of that child.
The fire spread over two prefabricated housing units at the site.
Fire officers believe the fire started in one, and spread to the other. The first unit was completely destroyed, the second partially.
“At the moment we are trying to establish the cause of the fire,” Chief Superintendent O’Sullivan said.
“We have no information at the moment as to how it came about. That’s the purpose of what we’re trying to do at this point in time.”
“The southside Traveller community are helping us by providing their facility at Sandyford where assistance is to be provided to all of the people who have been affected by this terrible tragedy,” he added.
A number of Garda liaison officers have been appointed to provide support to family members. Some are at the scene in Carrickmines, and others in nearby Sandyford.
Gardaí have appealed for anyone with any information to come forward.
“We expect this investigation to take a considerable period of time,” said O’Sullivan.
He said it was believed two families were involved in the tragedy, adding that he was not in a position to say in what manner they were related.
Forensic tests are underway at the scene, and the assistant state pathologist is also in attendance.
A number of people were taken to St Vincent’s and Tallaght Hospitals for treatment in the wake of the fire.
Several bodies remain at the scene. A technical examination was to be carried out with the remains in situ, fire officers said.
Traffic restrictions remained in place at the scene this afternoon, with a section of the road cordoned off as emergency vehicles came and went.
President Higgins has offered his condolences to the bereaved after what he called “a most dreadful tragedy”.
“My thoughts at this time are with the families and friends of those who have lost their lives and those who have been injured.
“I have asked to be kept informed on this shocking event throughout the day.”
Reaction
“It’s just horrible news to wake up to on a Saturday,” Neale Richmond, a local councillor, said.
The family were well known and liked in the area, it’s just tragic.
Another councillor, Lettie McCarthy, said the community was still absorbing the news.
There’s great sadness and shock in the community. No-one wants to wake up to that.
The family’s children went to school locally, people are really very, very saddened.
Sinn Féin councillor Chris Curran said the community wanted to express its deep and sincere sympathy to the family.
The family are well known to people in the area and this will come as a huge shock to so many in the Carrickmines and Kilternan areas as well as in Ballyogan where some of the people living on this site grew up.
Additional reporting, Daragh Brophy.
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Originally published 7.22am
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