Gardaí Begin Murder Investigation After Child And Woman Dies In Offaly House Fire

Sunday, 7 December 2025 17:40

Investigators believe the fire was caused deliberately.

Gardaí have begun a murder investigation into all the circumstances of a fatal house fire in Offaly.

The incident took place shortly before 8pm occurred at a home in Castleview Park, Edenderry on Saturday evening.

Emergency services, including Offaly Fire and Rescue Service, National Ambulance Service and Gardaí responded to the fire shortly before 7.45pm.

The fire was extinguished and the remains of two persons, a woman aged 60 and a 4-year-old boy, were discovered deceased.

A second woman, aged in her 50s, was transported from the scene by the National Ambulance Service and is receiving hospital treatment for serious injuries.

The house has been declared a crime scene and is currently subject to technical examination by the Garda Technical Bureau.

The office of the Local Coroner and the State Pathologist have been notified.

The remains of both the boy and woman have been removed from the scene and post mortems will be carried out by the Assistant State Pathologist Margot Bolster at the Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore, commencing this afternoon.

This murder investigation is being coordinated from an incident room at Tullamore Garda Station under the direction of a Senior Investigating Officer.

A Family Liaison Officer has been appointed to the families.

An Garda Síochána believes that the house was attacked by a person or persons unknown at this time, and that the fire was deliberately started. This was a reckless, callous and murderous attack on a family home.

Garda Superintendent Liam Geraghty gave a statement to the media this afternoon:

Gardaí in Offaly are appealing for any person with any information on this fatal incident to speak with investigating Gardaí.

Gardaí want to speak with any person who was in the vicinity of Castleview Park, or adjoining roads between 7.00pm and 8.00pm, yesterday Saturday 6th December 2025 to speak with investigating Gardaí.

Gardaí want to speak with any person who was driving in the vicinity of Castleview Park, or adjoining roads between 7.00pm and 8.00pm, yesterday Saturday 6th December 2025 and who may have any dashcam video footage or images to contact investigating Gardaí.

The investigation team can be contacted at the incident room at Tullamore Garda Station on 057 932 7600, the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station, in particular Edenderry Garda Station.