Mother and son fight for life after blaze kills boy, 2

A MOTHER and her 4-year-old son are fighting for their lives after a house fire in Cork yesterday, unaware that the blaze had claimed the life of the youngest member of the family.

Firefighters rescued Stacey Ellard, 26, her 4-year-old son Calvin and his 2-year-old brother Cian from their smoke-filled house in Wilton just after 4am.

But despite frantic efforts by paramedics at the scene, Cian was pronounced dead at Cork University Hospital (CUH) a short time later.

Stacey and Calvin remain in CUH’s intensive care unit, where they are being treated for smoke inhalation.

The fire was discovered at the rented two-storey, mid-terrace house at 106 Elm Park, just off the Sarsfield Road, in the early hours of yesterday morning.

Gardaí believe the fire started accidentally in the downstairs kitchen.

Smoke travelled to a neighbour’s house, triggering their smoke alarm, and they contacted the emergency services at 4.01am.

Neighbours rushed outside and managed to force open Stacey’s front door, but they were beaten back by the intense smoke.

They smashed the window of her downstairs front room as gardaí arrived, but they too were forced back by the smoke.

Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus found Stacey and the two children unconscious in a bed in an upstairs bedroom.

They believe Stacey had the boys cuddled up in bed with her and that all three were overcome by the smoke. They were carried outside, where paramedics began CPR.

Calvin responded first and was rushed with his brother to nearby CUH. But, tragically, Cian was pronounced dead a short time later.

His father, Ricky Punch, who is serving a sentence in Cork Prison, was told the news in a private room at the jail yesterday morning.

Paramedics continued their battle to save Stacey and it is understood they managed to revive her before rushing her to CUH, where she is still in a critical condition.

Togher parish priest Fr Robert Brophy, who visited Stacey’s family at CUH yesterday, said the community has been “deeply affected” by the tragedy.

“People are distressed and devastated,” he said. “We offered prayers for the family at Masses yesterday and we are hoping and praying that Stacey and Calvin will recover.

“This is a very close-knit and supportive community and Stacey and her family will have the support of everyone in the difficult days ahead,” Fr Brophy said.