Two children were last night in a critical condition in hospital following a fire in which their parents and brother died in their home at Glenowen in Rosemount, Derry. Mr Jody McCauley (30) and his wife Deborah (28) died in the fire along with their son Ryan, aged eight.
Their two other children, Aaron (10) and daughter Jade aged four, were yesterday on life support machines.
Aaron is being treated in the casualty department of Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry. His sister was yesterday transferred to the burns unit of Belfast's Royal Hospital For Sick Children.
The fire service was alerted to the blaze at about 3.30 a.m. yesterday. Neighbours had tried unsuccessfully to rescue the family from their terrace house.
Station Commander Billy Orr of the Northland Fire Station said three of his fire-fighters were also treated in hospital for slight injuries following the blaze. "It was a very intense fire and it was quickly extinguished by firefighters. We also carried out the rescue of a family of five from both the ground floor and first floor," said Mr Orr.
"Along with paramedic teams at the scene, we made every effort to save the family but sadly three of them, the parents and a young boy, died later in hospital.
"Some of the neighbours tried to rescue the family, but such was the intensity of the heat and smoke that there was nothing they could do."
He added: "Unfortunately, there was no smoke alarm fitted inside the house. I would appeal to everyone out there to have a smoke alarm "A properly fitted and maintained smoke alarm will give an early warning of a fire and greatly reduce the likelihood of a tragedy like this occurring." Forensic officers examined the scene yesterday. It is believed the fire started in the kitchen of the two-storey house and spread upstairs.
Distraught neighbours were too shocked to talk about the tragedy but Mrs Kay Feeney said: "It hasn't begun to sink in yet. I just can't believe that I will never see Jody and Deborah and Ryan again. We're all praying that wee Aaron and Jade pull through. Please God they will.
"They are a lovely family. Jody and Deborah were the closest and happiest couple imaginable. Everything they did revolved around their three children.
"Jody worked at the Transtec car parts factory at Campsie. Deborah did the odd part-time job here and there but she wanted to be about the home for the kids. Their daughter Jade is the love of everyone in the estate. Everyone knows and loves her.
"She always talks to the neighbours about our work. She is just a dote and we all believe she is a very special girl. Jody and Deborah were the perfect couple and the perfect neighbours. They never imposed on you, but they were always there when you needed them. We'll never get over this," she said.