Gardaí question man after fatal mobile home fire

GARDAÍ were last night questioning a man after the suspicious death of a middle-aged man in a fire in Co Kilkenny.

Gardaí arrested a man in his early 20s yesterday evening in connection with the death of Ger Nolan, 44, who died after the mobile home in which he lived went ablaze at Deerpark Cottages, Clogh Road in Castlecomer, in the early hours of yesterday morning.

The man was arrested under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act and can be detained for an initial period of 12 hours.

Mr Nolan had been living in the mobile home to the rear of the family home, in which one of his brothers, Michael, is currently living. Another brother, Willie Joe, lives in a prefabricated building close to the site of the mobile home.

It is understood Willie Joe heard a noise some time after 4am yesterday and went out to discover the mobile home on fire.

Two units of the fire brigade rushed to the scene from Castlecomer and spent a number of hours trying to quell the fire.

The body of Mr Nolan, who was single, was found in the caravan after it had been gutted by fire.

Gardaí initially treated the death as suspicious, sealing off the area. A considerable garda presence remained at the scene throughout the day while a full technical examination was carried out by members of the Garda Forensic Team yesterday.

State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy also travelled to Co Kilkenny to carry out a full post-mortem examination of the body.

The local parish priest, Monsignor Michael Ryan, said he was notified of the incident and attended the scene just after 4.30am.

“I’m sure there is great sadness among his neighbours at this appalling loss of life. Something like this always causes great pain and suffering,” he said.

Local Fine Gael Cllr John Brennan said local people were stunned at Mr Nolan’s death.