Man in hospital with burns after 'callous' arson attack in Waterford kills his three dogs

The man is understood to have received burn injuries to his hands and was taken to University Hospital Waterford. File picture

Gardaí in Waterford City are gathering CCTV footage following an arson attack on a house in which the occupant narrowly escaped.

The victim, a man in his 50s, lost his three dogs in the attack, which locals said were “his life”. The man is understood to have received burn injuries to his hands and was taken to University Hospital Waterford.

The fire brigade tried to resuscitate the dogs at the scene. Neighbours in the Larchville area of Lisduggan were shocked at the devastation caused by the blaze.

“People are shocked but so relieved that no person lost their life,” said local Sinn Féin councillor John Hearne. “We are blessed we are not carrying a coffin.”

The attack happened at 2.50am on Thursday when the front downstairs window was smashed and a suspected petrol bomb thrown inside.

Some locals reported that a man had cycled one way in the area and cycled out another exit. Gardaí are harvesting footage from homes.

“We have a very good relationship with local gardaí here and people have provided me with information and I have passed that on to detectives,” said Mr Hearne. 

We even had our local community garda, who was off duty, ringing around and seeing if he could help. 

He said local people said the fire brigade tried their best to save the man’s dogs. He said the man, the sole occupant of the house, is well liked and that he often met him out canvassing. 

“He is a most inoffensive man, he would be out with the dogs and we’d chat. He’s into his motorbikes and he very well got with his neighbours.” 

Mr Hearne said locals reported the fire spread rapidly and that the man barely got out. “There must have been an accelerant, a petrol bomb,” he said. “It’s a very callous act.” 

Mr Hearne said Larchville is recorded as one of the most deprived locations in the country and that the community has done considerable work to develop the area and provide services for people, including the elderly.

A Garda HQ statement said: “Gardaí are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed this incident, or noticed anything suspicious in the Larchville area of Lisduggan Big, Waterford City, between 2am and 3.15am on the morning of Thursday, April 16, to contact them.

“Any persons who may have video footage from the area between those times (including CCTV and dashcam) are asked to make this footage available.” 

Contact Waterford Garda Station on 051 305300 and the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666111.

• Cormac O’Keeffe is security correspondent for the Irish Examiner