Four dead, including two children, in Waterford house fire
Two other children are in critical condition following a blaze at a property in the Republic of Ireland.
Four people, including two children, died in a house fire in Waterford city in the Republic of Ireland early Tuesday. Two other children sustained critical injuries in the blaze, which occurred at a property on Birchwood Avenue.
Waterford Fire Service received the report of the fire at 5:13 a.m. local time and arrived to find the two-story house engulfed in flames. Firefighters removed a number of casualties from the home before extinguishing the fire. Irish police confirmed that two adults, a man and a woman, also died in the incident.
Emergency services remained at the scene on Tuesday. The housing estate is located off the Killure Road. The Taoiseach, Micheál Martin, expressed his condolences, calling the situation "very worrying and deeply disturbing" and appealing to the public to allow first responders space.
David Cullinane, a Sinn Féin TD who knows the family affected, described the event as "utterly heartbreaking" and noted the devastation within the community. The Bishop of Waterford and Lismore, Alphonsus Cullinan, called it an "unspeakable tragedy." He stated the Catholic Church would offer support to those impacted.
The Mayor of the Waterford Metropolitan District, Lola O'Sullivan, urged the public to refrain from speculating about the cause of the fire, particularly on social media, until official information is available. Waterford City and County Council has established a support hub at Butler Community Centre in St. John's Park for those affected by the incident.