A woman in her 60s was taken to hospital on Friday evening after a fire broke out at her house in Killarney, Co Kerry.
Gardaí received a call at 9.20pm, with the initial report indicating there was a smell of smoke coming from the property. On arrival at the scene gardaí did not observe any obvious signs of a fire, however, when they reached the back of the house they could see smoke coming from a window.
There was reason to believe that the homeowner was inside, so an attempt was made to enter. Efforts to gain entry through the front door were unsuccessful and a small window was then smashed, and gardaí managed to unlock the door.
They found a woman lying on the floor and ascertained she was “conscious but motionless”. The woman was lifted from the floor by gardaí and quickly taken outside where she received medical attention.
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The fire was later extinguished by local fire services and the woman was taken to Kerry University Hospital to receive treatment for her injuries, which are not believed to be life-threatening.
Four Garda members who responded to the incident received medical treatment following the incident, in particular two members suffering from smoke inhalation.
All four gardaí have recovered and have resumed duty. Peer support services have also been made available.
Superintendent Flor Murphy commended the action of his frontline colleagues following the incident.
“Gardaí on a daily basis show selfless bravery and dedication to keeping people safe,” he said.
“I have no doubt without the quick thinking and bravery of my colleagues Garda Meaney, Desmond, Moynihan and Finnegan that there would have been a tragic outcome to this incident. I am proud to work with these dedicated gardaí.”
