Second woman killed in house fire in three days

A 53-YEAR-OLD woman died in a house fire in north Dublin in the early hours of yesterday morning.

Another six people were rescued from three other blazes in the city and two firefighters were injured.

The 53-year-old woman was in her family home at Millmount Terrace in Drumcondra at 12.40am when the fire broke out.

A garda spokeswoman said the woman was asleep upstairs in the attic bedroom.

“There were a number of people in the house and the rest of them managed to get out. They did attempt to reach her but they weren’t able to do so.”

The survivors are believed to include the husband and daughter of the woman.

Three fire engines were called to the scene and the occupants of two neighbouring houses were evacuated.

The scene is being examined by gardaí to determine the cause of the blaze but foul play is not suspected.

The Dublin Fire Brigade said it had also dealt with three other house fires in one of its busiest nights for some time.

Four fire engines were called out to a blaze at the Ellis Court apartment complex in Benburb Street at 7pm yesterday. Four people were rescued from the burning apartment and taken to hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation.

A fire brigade spokesman said two firefighters also suffered minor injuries during the rescue.

Firefighters rescued one person during a house blaze on Western Way in Broadstone on Sunday night and another person was rescued from a fire in a flat in the Oliver Bond area near Usher’s Quay.

On Saturday, a mother of five was killed in a house fire in Ballybrack. Wendy Murdoch, 48, had been alone in the house at Inagh Court when the blaze broke out at 9pm.

As part of its Christmas fire safety campaign, the National Safety Council is urging people to have a working smoke alarm, to cover open fires with a fireguard and to extinguish candles at night.