Two Irish students have died in a house fire in Lorient, in Brittany, in France. The bodies of Patricia McDonald (21), from Cootehill, Co Cavan, and Carol Nolan (20), from Swords, Co Dublin, were discovered after midday yesterday, write Ruadhán Mac Cormaic & Lara Marlowe, in Paris.
They died in a fire at a house they were renting in the town of Lorient, where they had returned last Tuesday after spending Christmas in Ireland with their families.
The victims were both third-year students at the Institute of Technology in Tallaght and were in Lorient for the academic year under the Erasmus university exchange programme.
Patricia McDonald's aunt told The Irish Times last night the families were devastated by the news. "It's absolutely dreadful. They'd just gone back last Tuesday because their exams were to start next Monday."
She said the family were informed of the news after 4pm yesterday.
The students lived in an old Breton house at Rue de Kerblaisy in a village on the outskirts of Lorient called Larmor Plage.
At noon yesterday their landlord, who lives next door, saw smoke coming from the house and knocked on the door. When there was no answer, he used his keys to enter and found the two bodies.
Police were called at about 1pm and the bodies are due to be examined by forensic specialists today. Police fire experts will also examine the house. Police believe the fire was accidental but have not yet established the cause.
Patricia's uncle said the families had been in touch and that they were liaising with the Department of Foreign Affairs.
"They were good friends, the girls. They did their own thing, but they got a house together when they went out there, they wanted it that way.
"They were extremely happy there. They loved it. Patricia was looking forward to getting the exams done and was looking forward to going on to become a teacher."
He added that Patricia's mother and her aunt were planning to visit them in Lorient in February and that the family intend to travel to France either today or on Monday to make arrangements for the return of the bodies to Ireland.
A spokesman for the Department of Foreign Affairs said last night that the department was providing consular assistance to two Irish families following two deaths in Brittany yesterday.
Lorient, a port town, is best known for the Festival Interceltique, held there every August and which is attended by hundreds of thousands of Irish people. Ireland was guest of honour at the festival in 2005.