A MAN who died along with his young daughter in a house fire in Co Kerry at the weekend had helped his partner escape the blaze, it has emerged.
Gardaí in Tralee, Co Kerry are continuing to investigate the deaths of Anthony O’Brien (31) and his daughter Nadine (5) in the fire in the Oakpark area of Tralee in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Senior gardaí said yesterday afternoon they were keeping an open mind on the matter. An incident room has been set up as part of the investigation and forensic examinations were under way at the scene.
The man’s partner Kelly O’Brien (28) escaped through an upstairs back window, but suffered injuries in the jump including a broken leg and is being treated at Kerry General Hospital. It appears the late Mr O’Brien helped his partner out through the window and returned to save their daughter, but was overcome.
Firefighters who entered the burning house using breathing apparatus found both of them together but they were unconscious. Attempts at resuscitating them failed.
The family had moved into the semi-detached two-storey house in the private Killeen Heights estate over a year ago, while awaiting the completion of the Mitchels Boherbee regeneration project in the town centre which is being undertaken by Tralee Town Council.
Neighbours spoke of seeing the little girl, who attended Gael Scoil Mhic Easmainn in Tralee, learning to cycle on her pink bicycle and playing outside.
Mayor of Tralee Grace O’Donnell said the community was deeply sorry at the deaths and would rally around the extended Tralee family.
The alarm was raised by neighbours who heard screaming and the services arrived at the scene at about 2.30am. Gardaí who arrived at the scene tried to gain entry but were beaten back by the fire. Two units of the fire service from Tralee and Castleisland attended the scene.
A postmortem was carried out yesterday at Kerry General by assistant State Pathologist Dr Margot Bolster. A technical examination was continuing yesterday by members of the Garda Technical Bureau. House to house inquiries were also being undertaken by gardaí. Early indications were the fire started downstairs, possibly in the sitting room.