Updated 7.45am
GARDAÍ HAVE DESCRIBED the death of a man following a fire at a derelict building in Co Tipperary, as a “tragedy“ and were “not treating it as suspicious”.
The victim, named locally as 47-year-old Krzysztof Sek, and a native of Eastern Europe, was found by firefighters in a disused premises on Kenyon Street, Nenagh, yesterday morning.
A second man who was in the building at the time, managed to escape from the blaze. He was being treated at University Hospital Limerick for minor injuries.
A local taxi driver passing the premises at the time alerted emergency services to the scene after seeing smoke emerging from the first floor of the building.
Three fire tenders from Nenagh and Cloughjordan put out the fire after fighting the blaze for 12 hours.
Firefighters discovered the victim’s body after entering the building which previously operated as a public house.
A garda spokesman said: “A fire was reported at 1.05am [yesterday] at Kenyon Street, Nenagh. Two males were thought (to be) staying at the premises.”
One male was removed to Limerick hospital with minor injuries. The other male (aged in his 40’s) is deceased and was removed to Limerick Hospital for a post mortem today.
The cause of the blaze is under investigation, however a garda spokesman said they do not suspect foul play.
It is understood the victim had been “sleeping rough”, despite having stayed at an address in the town at an earlier stage.
It was unclear if the man was recorded as officially homeless.
Gardaí were still trying to confirm his identity and make contact with any relatives.
“He had little or no English and he was living a hopeless life, moving from one disaster to another. He did live in accommodation in Nenagh at one stage, but he became homeless through his own difficulties,” said a source.
“I would describe him as a poor unfortunate man, who either came over to Ireland living like this, or who ended up in that lifestyle,” they added.
Local publican Breda McMahon, who lives across the street from where the fire occurred, said: “It’s an awful shock to the community; It’s very sad.”
It was a miserable dirty rainy night last night, and who knows, maybe that man was bedding down in there for the night.
She said the building where the fire occurred had been derelict for the past number of years.
“Everyone is saddened. I’m sure that man has a mother and a father and a family somewhere. We’re all deeply effected by it, especially because it has happened at (Christmas), when we all need love and affection,” she said.
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