Mother and son in critical condition after Dublin apartment fire

By Ed Carty, Press Association

A fire in a flat which left a mother and her children seriously ill is being treated as suspicious, gardai have said.

The woman, in her 30s and named locally as Maggie Greene, was rescued from the first floor of the complex in the Inchicore area of Dublin but was fighting for her life at St James's Hospital.

Her eight-year-old son was also rushed from the scene at Tyrone Place, Thomas Davis Street, and was said to be critically ill at Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin.

Her seven-year-old daughter was taken from the flat and was being treated at Temple Street Children's Hospital and a 12-year-old boy was also treated.

The fire broke out at about 11pm on Monday.

After a day-long examination gardai said: "This incident is now being treated as suspicious."

The scene of the flat was preserved and technical examination is ongoing.

The family were unable to get out of the flat as their only exit, the front door, was blocked.

They were rescued from the back balcony on the first floor after five fire engines from Dublin Fire Brigade were dispatched to the scene.

It is understood the mother was in a bedroom upstairs in the flat with at least two of the children when the fire broke out.

Investigating gardai appealed for witnesses or anyone who was in the vicinity of Tyrone Place between 10.30pm and midnight on Monday to contact them at Kilmainham station, the Garda Confidential Line or any other station.