Probe under way into elderly woman's fire death

Gardaí were tonight continuing to investigate the the cause of a horrific fire which killed an elderly woman.

The victim, named locally as 74-year-old Louise Barber, died when the blaze broke out at her home in Thomas St, Fermoy, Co Cork.

Neighbours raised the alarm at around 9pm last night but by the time fire crews arrived the house was ablaze.

Two fire units, one from Fermoy and one from Mitchelstown, fought to control the fire but it spread rapidly through the two-storey house, where Ms Barber lived alone.

The body was removed to Cork University Hospital where a post mortem took place. The results have not been released but it is believed she died from smoke inhalation.

The scene has been preserved by technical experts and a forensic examination has been carried out although the cause of the fire is not yet known.

There were reportedly a number of candles lit on the ground floor at the time.

Ms Barber was well-known in the area, where she had lived all her life. A neighbour said the whole community was in “deep shock”.