Woman fights for life after 'wrong house' targeted in arson attack

Garda at the scene in Finglas, County Dublin after two women and three teenagers were injured in a house fire. Picture: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

Gardaí believe the “wrong house” was targeted in an overnight arson attack in north Dublin, which has left a woman fighting for her life and a juvenile with serious injuries.

While it is early in the investigation, detectives suspect the botched attack is linked with a violent local feud, driven by personal, rather than gang, motivations.

Gardaí suspect that the front window of a house in Creston Avenue, Finglas, was smashed and that either a pipe bomb or a petrol bomb was thrown in.

Two occupants, a woman in her 40s and a boy, suffered significant injuries. The woman’s injuries are described as "severe", and she has been placed in an induced coma in hospital.

In addition to severe burns, other injuries include lacerations, multiple fractures and carbon monoxide.

Three other occupants, a woman in her 20s and two other juveniles, a girl and a boy, received non-life-threatening injuries.

The juveniles are aged 14, 16 and 17.

The scene in Finglas, County Dublin after two women and three teenagers were injured in a house fire. Picture: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

Some of the occupants had to escape through an upstairs window and were assisted by neighbours.

Witnesses have told gardaí there was a lone attacker, who was on a motorbike.

Detectives believe the wrong house was targeted in the attack and that the intended target is a rival family in the feud. Their house has been previously targeted.

This included an unsuccessful pipe-bomb attack just before Christmas and an incident several months ago when a car was driven into the property and the windows in the house smashed.

That prompted retaliation, including a stabbing of a member of the other family and taunts on social media.

Gardaí suspect this prompted the botched arson attack. While some gang members are suspected of involvement in the drug trade, they believe this is a personal feud.

Officers are now bracing for retaliation.

“There could be more revenge, but you would hope this attack, affecting innocent people, would make them think twice,” said one source.

This view was echoed by local Sinn Féin TD Dessie Ellis: “An innocent family has been targeted. It’s a disgrace. You would think people would have learned from the tragic death of the young child and the grandaunt in Offaly. People need to come out and help the gardaí investigate this and get to the bottom of it. It is completely unacceptable, not only for the family but the community in the area.” 

A statement issued by Garda Headquarters said: “Gardaí are appealing for information relating to an incident of criminal damage by fire at a residential property in Finglas, Dublin 11 on Wednesday, December 31.

“Gardaí and emergency services responded to a report of a fire at Creston Avenue at around 12:45am.” 

It said the local fire service extinguished the blaze.

“The five occupants of the house – a woman in her 40s, a woman in her 20s and three juvenile teenagers (two female, one male) – were brought by ambulance to James Connolly Memorial and Temple Street Children’s hospitals,” the statement said.

“The injuries to the female in her 40s and male juvenile are described as serious. The injuries to the three other individuals are described as non-life-threatening.” The statement said the scene has been preserved for a technical examination.

It said gardaí were appealing to anyone who may have witnessed this incident, or noticed anything suspicious in the Creston area between midnight and 1:00am this morning, Wednesday, to contact them.

It asked if anyone had video footage from the area between those times (including CCTV and dash cam) to make it available to investigating gardaí.

People can also contact Finglas Garda Station on 01 666 7500, the Garda confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station.

Third arson attack

Garda at the scene in Finglas, County Dublin after two women and three teenagers were injured in a house fire. Picture: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

This morning’s arson in Finglas marks the third serious attack in which fire has been used as a potentially deadly weapon at homes since November 25.

It comes less than one month after a fatal arson attack in Offaly that killed a boy and his grandaunt. Four-year-old Tadhg Farrell and his grandaunt, Mary Holt, died in the attack in Edenderry on December 6.

Yesterday, gardaí appealed for information about a black Kia Rio saloon car allegedly used by those who firebombed the family home. The suspects are believed to be teenagers.

CCTV footage released by gardaí shows two hooded males attacking the house before fleeing the scene. A Midlands organised crime gang is suspected of ordering that attack. The motive is thought to be personal.

In a separate attack, a woman suffered critical burns after an assailant doused her with petrol or another accelerant and set her on fire at her home in Clondalkin, Dublin.

Alexis Lee Campion, a mother of two, was doused in petrol and set alight after answering a knock at the door of her home on November 25.

Her injuries were so extensive that doctors placed her in an induced coma in hospital.