An 18-year-old male student died yesterday and a second young man is in a stable condition in Kerry General Hospital after a suspected accident with a bottle gas heater in a rented house in Tralee.
The dead man was named locally as Paddy Hughes (18), from Moyvane, north Kerry, an engineering student at the Institute of Technology, Tralee (ITT).
A post mortem examination on the body is to be conducted at Kerry General Hospital today.
The young man in hospital is also from north Kerry, and is also a student at the ITT.
The accident was discovered when a friend called to bring the students from the house at Racecourse Road, a quiet residential location, to the nearby north campus of the college.
A third young man, also believed to be a student, came downstairs to answer the door, and discovered the young men in an unconscious state in the sitting room. That was shortly after 9am.
Gardaí and ambulance personnel arrived on the scene shortly afterwards, and the emergency medical team attempted resuscitation.
Both young men were taken to Kerry General Hospital, where Mr Hughes was later pronounced dead.
Supt Pat Sullivan, of Tralee Garda station, said gardaí were at the initial stages of their investigation, but were not treating the death as suspicious.
"What we are investigating was a tragedy, with the possibility of a gas heater in the room being the cause," said Supt Sullivan.
ITT director Michael Carmody yesterday said that on behalf of the governing body, staff and students at the institute he wished to express his sympathy to the family and friends of the student who had died as the result of "an unfortunate and tragic accident".
"Our thoughts and prayers are also with the family of the second student who is currently under the care of the medical staff in Kerry General Hospital," said Mr Carmody.