Man seriously injured in suspected stabbing in Cork City following fire at house

As they were dealing with the fire in Mayfield, the fire fighters encountered a man nearby with multiple stab wounds, with several serious injuries to his arms, upper body and legs

A house in the Annalee Grove area of Mayfield has been sealed off for a detailed technical examination by garda forensic experts. Picture: Larry Cummins

A man is fighting for his life after he sustained multiple stab wounds during an incident linked to a fire at a house on the northside of Cork City on Wednesday.

The man, who is in his 40s, underwent emergency surgery at Cork University Hospital (CUH) this morning and remains in a critical but stable condition following the incident in a housing estate in Mayfield shortly before 8am.

Detectives will have to wait for medical clearance before being able to interview the man about the sequence of events before the stabbing incident.

A house in the Annalee Grove area of Mayfield has been sealed off for a detailed technical examination by garda forensic experts. 

In a statement, gardaí said they were called to the scene of "a criminal damage and assault incident" outside a residential property in Annalee Grove, Mayfield and their investigations are ongoing.

The alarm was raised shortly before 8am when emergency services were alerted to a fire at a house in Annalee Grove.

Fire fighters based at Cork City Fire Brigade’s Ballyvolane fire station rushed to the scene where they found a relatively small fire and dealt with it quickly.

It is understood the fire occurred in a wheelie bin close to the house. It was described by one source as a small rubbish fire.

The cause of the blaze is being investigated amid suspicions that it may have been started deliberately.

The scene at Annalee Grove, Mayfield. Picture: Larry Cummins

But as they were dealing with the fire, the fire fighters encountered a man nearby with multiple stab wounds, with several serious injuries to his arms, upper body and legs.

Fire fighters rendered immediate medical aid and alerted paramedics and gardaí who then rushed to the scene.

Given the serious nature of the man’s injuries, a consultant in emergency medicine was also tasked to the scene.

Together, they managed to stabilise the man for transport by ambulance to CUH where he underwent emergency surgery, and where his condition remains critical but stable.

The house was immediately sealed off by gardaí for a detailed forensic examination by garda forensic experts, and a number of items have been removed for forensic analysis.

Meanwhile, gardaí in Kilmainham investigating the alleged assault of a female on a Luas tram on the evening of Sunday, October 29, have arrested a man.

The man, aged in his 30s, was arrested in the early hours of this morning Wednesday and is currently detained under Section 4, Criminal Justice Act, 1984 at a garda station in Dublin.

Gardaí have again appealed to any members of the public who may have witnessed an alleged assault on board the Luas between Jervis Street and Heuston Station at approximately 7.10pm on Sunday, October 29, to come forward.