Bid to track down witnesses after fatal house blaze

GARDAÍ have issued a further appeal for help with their investigations into a fire which killed a woman and her five-year-old nephew, in Cork city last weekend.

Ryan O’Dwyer-Hayes, 5 and his aunt, Helena died in the blaze at Nutley Ave in Mahon in the early hours of Easter Sunday.

Gardaí in Blackrock are trying to track down a number of potential witnesses who were in the area about 2am-3am last Sunday.

According to a Garda spokesman, two men were seen in the Rope Walk area of Blackrock at that time. The men were not together.

“The first is described as wearing a hoodie-type top with the hood pulled over his head and the second described as not wearing clothing on his upper body. In addition, gardaí would like to talk to a middle aged-couple seen walking on Nutley Road towards Ringmahon Road at approximately 3am,” a spokesman said.

Gardaí would also like to talk to the driver or possible passengers in a silver/light coloured Toyota Avensis estate which was seen in the Blackrock Road/Convent Avenue area at about 2.50am on Sunday. This car may be a taxi or hackney cab.

Gardaí are also appealing to anyone who was at the scene of the fire and may have recorded footage on their mobile phone or camcorder etc to contact them.

The funerals of the young boy and his aunt are due to take place on Friday and Saturday at the North Cathedral and at the Church of the Holy Cross in Mahon. Both Ryan O’Dwyer- Hayes and his aunt, Helena will be buried at St Michael’s Cemetery, Blackrock.

Anyone with information for gardaí can contact the incident room at Anglesea Street at 021 4522000, the Garda Confidential Telephone Line at 1800 666 111 or any Garda station.