Neighbours of the married couple who died with their baby daughter in a house fire in Waterford early yesterday were unable to break through double-glazed windows when they tried to rescue the victims.
Joanna O'Reagan (32), Brian O'Reagan (32) and their daughter Niamh (18 months) died in the fire at Ardmore Terrace, Ballybeg, on the outskirts of the city.
Three other children in the family, Cian (10), Briana (7) and Aaron (5), escaped from the house.
The family had planned to move from Waterford city to live in the country in two weeks' time.
The cause of the fire has still not been established, and a Garda investigation is continuing. The Garda Technical Bureau examined the scene yesterday afternoon.
However, it is understood that the fire began in the downstairs front room, and one possibility being examined is that it may have been caused by an electrical fault.
The alarm was raised by a neighbour at around 2.15am yesterday when she saw flames in the front sitting room of the three-bedroom semi-detached house.
Neighbours said Ms O'Reagan told the eldest of the three survivors to grab the banisters of the stairs and get out of the house and she would go back for the baby.
She then attempted to escape through the front bedroom window, but it would only open a small amount. Neighbours called to her to throw down the baby but she was afraid the child might get hurt.
Neighbours also took a ladder to the back of the house and attempted to break through the back bedroom window. However they were only able to crack the double glazing.
When the fire brigade arrived they entered the house and took out the three people inside. They attempted to resuscitate the baby but were unable to save her.
The three older children were taken to Waterford Regional Hospital but were uninjured. They are being cared for by their paternal grandparents.
Assistant State pathologist Michael Curtis inspected the scene of the fire before carrying out postmortems on the bodies at Waterford Regional Hospital.
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals attended the scene yesterday morning and removed the family pet and a number of greyhounds.
Neighbours on Ardmore Terrace were devastated by the fire. The O'Reagans were well-known and well-liked in the area.
Mr O'Reagan and his father, Pa O'Reagan, were involved in greyhound racing, and were well-known in the greyhound community around the country. Mr O'Reagan, who worked for Waterford City Council, was also involved in coaching juvenile hurling at Butlerstown.
A neighbour said the fire overtook the house very quickly."I've never seen anything to go up so fast. When I came out the front door I could hear her screaming and when I got down there, there was no screaming." She said the double-glazed PVC windows made it impossible for neighbours to help the family.
The removal of the victims will take place tomorrow to the Church of St Saviours, Ballybeg, at 7.30pm. The funeral Mass will take place on Friday morning.
