The man who died in a house fire near Killorglin, Co Kerry has been named locally as Michael Sheehan. Aged in his 60s, he lived alone in the bungalow in a remote area near Glencar.
A unit of the fire service on its way from attending a road traffic accident spotted the blaze from the main Killorglin to Glencar road at around 4.30am on Friday morning.
Gardaí believe the fire at Glencuttane Lower, Killorglin, to be a tragic accident and said there was nothing to indicate it was suspicious. However, Supt Flor Murphy of Killarney gardaí, who attended the scene, said the final course of the investigation will be determined by a post mortem examination.
The body has been removed from the scene and a post mortem is to take place on Saturday at University Hospital Kerry.
The scene has been sealed off for technical examination. Mr Sheehan was well known locally and from a family with connections in business and the GAA. He is the uncle of the Love/Hate actor Robert Sheehan whose father Joe Sheehan from Glencuttane was a garda.
Local councillor Michael Cahill said he knew the late Mr Sheehan and his family and they were well known in the area. Mr Cahill said people in Killorglin and the wider area were upset and shocked.
Twenty-five years ago, Mr Sheehan’s father had also died in a house fire, the councillor said. “It is very sad news. Everyone is very upset,” Mr Cahill said, extending his condolence to the family.