Boy (12) dies in house fire

Gardaí in Galway have named the boy who died in a house fire in the city yesterday.

Gardaí in Galway have named the boy who died in a house fire in the city yesterday.

John Daly (12) was pronounced dead at University College Hospital, Galway (UCHG), after unsuccessful efforts to resuscitate him by ambulance and firefighting staff.

The boy's 35-year-old mother and 10-year-old sister survived the fire, which broke out at about 3am yesterday in a back bedroom of the semi-detached house in Laurel Park, Newcastle.

The house is located just five minutes from the hospital grounds.

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Billy Conroy, Galway Fire Brigade station officer, said he and sub-officer Brendan Qualter were alerted while travelling to a traffic accident in the city.

"On arrival, we were told that one person was missing," Mr Conroy said.

Thermal imaging equipment was used to locate the boy, who was unconscious, and efforts were made to resuscitate him in the ambulance en route to UCHG.

Lorna Siggins

Lorna Siggins

Lorna Siggins is the former western and marine correspondent of The Irish Times