Three family members die in house fire

Three members of one family were killed in a house fire today.

The blaze broke out on the Moneymore estate in Drogheda, Co Louth, shortly before 8am.

Gardaí confirmed that three young people, all from the same family and aged between six and 22, died in the fire.

One other child is in a critical condition in hospital.

Eamon Wolfe, Chief Fire Officer at Louth County Council, said firefighters had searched the house and all the family, believed to be settled travellers, had been accounted for.

“It is a large family. There are three fatalities. The two parents are injured but will be OK but one other child is critical,” he said.

The terraced house was destroyed in the blaze.

The parents and a number of other young children were taken to the nearby Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital.

Local councillor Imelda Munster visited the scene this morning.

“The family have lived here for a couple of years and, judging by the amount of people here this morning, they got on very well with their neighbours,” she said.

“It’s horrific to look at. The house is entirely gutted, the windows have all been blown out. People are just standing in shock here.

“It’s heartbreaking to look at.”

The alarm was raised at 7.50am and two fire crews from Drogheda and one from Dunleer were sent to the housing estate.