Boy (5) dies after fireplace collapses at family home near Cork

Gardaí have begun an investigation to establish the exact cause of an incident that claimed the life of a five-year-old boy at his home on the outskirts of Cork city yesterday afternoon.

It is understood that the incident happened at about 1.30pm, when a fireplace collapsed on the boy at his family home in Coolgreen, White’s Cross, near Cork city.

The boy, named locally as Fionn Dawson, suffered serious injuries when the fireplace collapsed, and a family member immediately contacted the emergency services.

The boy was treated at the scene by HSE South paramedics before being rushed to Cork University Hospital, but he died a few hours later.

His parents, Cormac and Anita, who also have two younger children, were last night being comforted by family and friends.

Neighbour Donal O’Connor spoke yesterday of the sense of shock in the community. “They’re a well-established family in the area and are well liked . . . It’s an awful tragedy and everybody’s thoughts are with the family.”

Gardaí cordoned off the area and Garda technical experts began a forensic examination of the scene to try to establish what caused the fireplace to collapse.