Teenager quizzed over Kilkenny blaze deaths

A teenager is among two people being questioned by detectives today over the deaths of a mother and her two young children in a Christmas Day house fire.

Sharon Whelan, 30, and her daughters Zsara, seven, and Nadia, two-and-a-half, died in the blaze at their rented home on a country lane close to the small village of Windgap, Co Kilkenny.

Gardaí said a girl in her late teens was arrested this morning and is being held at Kilkenny Garda Station under section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act.

A 20-year-old man was detained late yesterday afternoon and is also being questioned at Kilkenny Garda Station, under section four of the Criminal Justice Act.

Initially the blaze was being treated as a tragic accident but gardaí confirmed all circumstances surrounding the deaths were being investigated.

The fire broke out at around 9am on Christmas morning with neighbours breaking in to try and rescue the family.

The close-knit community of Windgap was devastated by the deaths which occurred hours after the children’s grandfather left presents for them on Christmas Eve.

The family were laid to rest on New Year’s Day.