Elderly couple killed in house blaze

A PRIEST told yesterday of how he followed a fire engine to the scene of a house fire and discovered to his horror that two of his parishioners were trapped by the flames.

Fr Pat Munnelly praised the courage of neighbours, fire brigade members and gardaí who tried in vain to save Donal and Una O’Neill, both in their early eighties, when fire broke out in the sitting room of their home at Chapel Road, Crossmolina, Co Mayo on Thursday night.

Mr O’Neill, a former electrician at the ESB generating station in Bellacorick, Co Mayo, was a native of Co Kerry but had lived in Mayo for more than 40 years. His wife, Una, was a native of Co Clare. The couple had nine grown-up children.

A saddened Fr Munnelly said he had visited the O’Neills on Thursday afternoon to give them Communion.

“They were in great form and looking forward to a visit soon from members of their family who are all living away from home,” he said. Fr Munnelly, who lives only a short distance from the O’Neill home, said he was returning home around 9.15pm on Thursday when he spotted a fire engine and followed it, as he realised there must be an emergency. Neighbours tried to save the couple but were beaten back by the smoke and heat.

It is understood that Mrs O’Neill used the sitting room as a bedroom. “I am shocked and saddened at the manner in which they died,” Fr Munnelly said. “They were good people, loyal Churchgoers, and were always very supportive of everything that happened in the community,” he added. Despite their advanced years. the couple were very active in social and community life in Crossmolina. Both were members of the local choir and Donal played the church organ.

Local GP, Dr Michael Loftus, who attended the scene, said he had been watching the 9 o’clock news when he got the emergency call.

“Smoke was billowing from the house when I arrived. I could see the blaze in the window. Neighbours were trying to break in but the smoke and flames kept putting them back”.

Dr Loftus said he had known the O’Neills for about 40 years and described them as “caring, charming and sociable”.

The deadly fire was concentrated in the sitting room area. At the height of the fire, flames came through the window causing fire and scorch marks on the exterior of the building.

Gardaí were examining the house yesterday to try and determine what caused the blaze, as post mortem examinations were carried out at Mayo General Hospital.