Neighbours and gardai tried in vain to rescue an elderly man from his blazing home in Co Clare. Sgt Tom Carroll and Garda Denis O'Callaghan, who are based at Ardnacrusha Station, managed to bring the 94-year-old man from his bungalow, where he lived alone. He died shortly afterwards.
He was named as Mr Michael Flannery of Summer hill, Clonlara.