Mother dies, son (3) `critical' after fire

A THREE year old boy was seriously ill in hospital last night after a fire in his Dublin home killed his mother.

Ms Paula Thornton (26) died when a fire broke out in her flat above a butcher's shop in the Edenmore Shopping Centre, Coolock, at around 11 a.m. yesterday. A spokeswoman for the Children's Hospital, Temple Street, said Aaron Thornton was in intensive care and his condition was "critical".

Local people said Ms Thornton's second child, Amy (5), was on holiday with relatives in Courtown, Co Wexford.

Mr Colm Durkin, who lives next door to Ms Thornton, said he was awakened by the shouts of people shouting "Paula, Paula", "A fellow climbed up and smashed the window and tried to get in but said it was too bad," he said. Another attempt to break in from the back also failed.

When the fire brigade arrived, they pulled out the woman and her son. "One of the firemen resuscitated the kid there on the pavement," Mr Durkin said. It is understood Ms Thornton died at the scene.

"A lot of people around here knew her," Mr Durkin said. "Everyone liked her." The father of her children had moved out 15 months ago, according to locals. The cause of the fire has yet to be established. It burned out the sitting room of the flat.